The Ministry of Social Development and Family (MoSDF), represented by the Department of Community Welfare, has celebrated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which falls on June 15 of each year.

The United Nations General Assembly decided in 2011 to celebrate this day on June 15 of each year.

This celebration comes in line with the endeavor of the Ministry of Social Development and Family to build an effective system in the field of family care.

The Ministry believes that the family is utmost important in development of the nation in line with the State’s vision as one of the pillars of this vision related to social development seeks to develop a just and secure society based on good morals and social care.

This day aims to raise awareness of the importance of preventing elderly people from any abuse and safeguarding their rights and well-being.

The event highlights the role of the family in protecting and caring for the elderly, focusing on the importance of supporting the old people from a social, psychological and health perspective.

The MoSDF celebrated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by posting awareness leaflets on the Ministry’s accounts on social media platforms, and by distributing awareness-raising cards and chocolates to the Ministry’s employees to raise awareness of this day.

In this regard, Director of the Community Care Department Reem Al Ajmi said: “Awareness of the rights of the elderly is one of the main points that enables a person to improve his situation according to the human values.”

She added: “The protection of human rights in general, and the rights of the elderly in particular, stems from the essence of Islamic culture, and is not a foreign or imported concept to us, as the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: (He is not one of us who does not have mercy on our young and does not respect our elders).

The Ministry of Social Development and Family, represented by the Social Welfare Department, plays a pioneering role in increasing community awareness against abuse of the elderly and establishing the values ​​of respecting, revering and appreciating them in the family and society as a whole.