The International Day of Older Persons is celebrated annually on October 1st of every year. This day is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of older adults to society, raising awareness about the challenges they face, and promoting initiatives to safeguard their rights, dignity, and well-being.
The theme for International Day of Older Persons 2025 is “Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-being, Our Rights.” This theme emphasizes the importance of older persons’ roles in society, highlighting their aspirations, well-being, and rights.
People around the world celebrate this day in various ways, including: free health check-ups for older adults to promote preventive care and healthy living, Cultural Events/Community gatherings to celebrate older members, Media Campaignsthrough newspapers, TV, and social media, Volunteering, Seminars and Programs to discuss elder care policies, rights, and challenges faced by older persons.
The celebration is designed to spotlight the following areas:
- Amplifying Older Voices and recognizing older adults as experts, advocates, and change-makers who should be fully involved in shaping policies that affect their lives and society at large.
- Advancing Human Rights and placing a strong emphasis on strengthening legal protections, eliminating age-based discrimination (ageism), and promoting the full enjoyment of human rights by all older persons.
- Promoting Well-Being by focusing on policies that ensure health equity, financial security, and social inclusion for aging populations.
- Intergenerational Solidarity by encouraging the creation of age-friendly environments that are inclusive, accessible, and facilitate meaningful engagement and collaboration across all generations.
The International Day of Older Persons is significant because it recognizes contributions of older adults to society, raises awareness and highlights the challenges faced by older persons, such as healthcare struggles, financial insecurity, and loneliness and also promotes and encourages initiatives to support older persons and ensure their well-being and dignity.
To honor this day, individuals, communities, and organizations around the world are encouraged to take action by:
- Engage, Connect and Spend time with an older person to listen to their stories, share an activity, or simply check on their well-being to combat social isolation.
- Volunteer by offering your time to local organizations that support older adults, such as aged care facilities, community centers, or befriending schemes.
- Advocate and raise awareness about ageism and the rights of older persons by using the official UN theme and hashtags like #AgingWithDignity.
- Promote Age-Friendly Spaces and support initiatives in your community that make public spaces, services, and communication more accessible and inclusive for people of all ages.
- Share Wisdom by facilitating intergenerational dialogues where older adults can share their professional and life experience as mentors, consultants, or educators.
However, celebrations across Nigeria, including potential activities in Kogi State, will be guided by the global United Nations theme and typically follow a pattern of advocacy, recognition, and health outreach.
Events in Kogi State
The Kogi State Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Ageing (KG-SCFOA) undertakes an engagement session in Lokoja to commemorate the day with a view to calling on the state government to institutionalize care for the welfare of the elderly. On this note, we are proposing seven key initiatives to support older persons in Kogi State, including:
- Activation of the Kogi State Agency for Social Security and Protection of Older Citizens Law which was enacted since 2019 but has yet to be operationalized, seven clear years after.
- Appointment of Senior Citizens Agency Officers to manage and implement policies supporting the welfare of the elderly.
- Establishment of Mobile Clinics to bring essential healthcare services directly to older persons in remote areas.
- Health Insurance Scheme specifically designed for senior citizens to ensure healthcare access and financial security.
- Collaboration with Civil Society Organizations to collect crucial data and better understand the needs of the elderly population.
- Increased Gratuity Payments to alleviate financial strains faced by the elderly amid rising economic challenges.
- We of the Kogi State Chapter of NSCC Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Aging commends the Kogi State Government, under the Chief Servant, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of the state for the timely payment of pensions to retired civil servants,we are equally advocating for the timely payment of gratuities to retired civil servants, which is a persistent issue across the country.
In the context of Kogi State, we call on the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and that of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to engage in community events to honor older persons who have made significant contributions to the state in fields like education, civil service, traditional leadership, and entrepreneurship. This should be in addition to organizing intergenerational dialogueworkshops or town halls to facilitate conversations between youth and elders, allowing older persons to share their wisdom and experiences.
The spirit of the day in Kogi, like the rest of the world, is to move beyond viewing older persons as recipients of charity to recognizing them as valuable assets whose rights, well-being, and aspirations must be at the forefront of public policy.
High Chief Stephen Salawu,
Co-Chair ,1
Kogi State Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Aging (KG-SCFOA)
Affiliated to the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC)
