Neglect is the predominant form of abuse experienced by older individuals, affecting 86% of them, followed by emotional abuse at 49%, financial exploitation at 46.8%, physical mistreatment at 25%, and sexual abuse at 6.8%.
According to the 2021 report from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, a staggering 86% of older persons in Uganda face neglect and isolation.
The report reveals that nearly half of the abuse incidents occur within the home environment.
It also points out that family members are often the offenders, with 31% of cases involving other relatives and 28% involving their own children.
Notably, men are the primary abusers of women aged 60 to 69, accounting for 59% of the cases.
The findings indicate that 38% of older individuals experienced abuse once, while around 30% faced abuse three to five times within a single year.
Additionally, statistics reveal that 44.7% of older persons face domestic violence, with 49% suffering from psychological abuse, which encompasses threats, humiliation, and various types of mistreatment.
According to the Uganda Population and Housing Census 2024, there are around 2.3 million older persons among the 46 million people in the country.
Dominic Gidudu, the minister of state for elderly affairs, expressed his alarm over this escalating issue, emphasizing the urgent need for increased awareness to protect the rights of older adults.
In response to these troubling findings, the government is moving forward with legislation designed to restore values and respect for the elderly.
This initiative aims to tackle the rising concern that younger generations are increasingly neglecting the wisdom and insights of older individuals, a trend largely linked to the impact of Western culture.
Gidudu, emphasized that there are still limited intergenerational benefits, as the younger generation finds it challenging to appreciate the guidance offered by older individuals due to contemporary influences.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is now working in partnership with the Attorney General to strengthen the tenets of the Older Persons Bill, with an emphasis on reinstating respect for the elderly in service delivery and other areas of society.
To enhance the protection of the elderly, the Ministry of Gender has unveiled plans to implement regulations for care homes catering to older individuals, akin to the current regulations governing children’s homes.
This initiative seeks to tackle the decline of family structures, which has resulted in caregivers having inadequate time to provide support for the elderly.
