By Lekereni Chinkhota

Salima, September 12, MANA: The Department of Civic Education has challenged people to embrace the importance of promoting the well-being of persons with albinism and the elderly citing that they are entitled to the same human rights like everyone else.

Speaking on Thursday during a public engagement at Chipoka Trading Centre, Principal Civic Education Officer in the Department of Civic Education Chrispin Kalaya echoed that persons with albinism and the elderly receive different forms of abuse from relatives, friends and other people instead of being protected.

"We noted reports from the media that Salima is registering cases of abuse of persons with albinism and the elderly. We felt the need to come here to engage people so that we raise awareness for the people to understand that even when people grow older they are still entitled to the very same rights that everyone enjoys”, he said.

Kalaya emphasized that their department aims to raise awareness for people to realize the need to respect and appreciate the presence of persons with albinism and the elderly instead of abusing or ill-treating them.

"We would like people to realize that even when someone grows old or if they have any sort of disability, in this case albinism, we are still entitled to the very same rights that every person enjoys so there is nothing special about them they are human beings, they are there to enjoy the very same rights that everyone enjoys," he added.

Kalaya further explained that when people are empowered with useful information cases of abuse against people with albinism and the elderly will be put to stop and things will be smooth for them just like anyone.

He said: "We want to empower people with this information so that they should act responsibly against potential victims of abuses.

On his part, an elderly man, Joshua Mwenye from Chilambula village in the area of Senior Chief Kambalame, said it is unfortunate and very sad that the elderly are neglected and abandoned by their children and relatives.

"We face many problems from our children, they always say we should help ourselves as they can't help us. For this reason, we lack support as you know we grow weak each day we can't work as we used to but instead of our relatives of children to help us some of them abandon us." He said.

Mwenye said it is sad to hear your child or relative calling you a witch because such allegations lead to abuses of the elderly in many ways that affect their lives.

"When we are called witches, it affects us in many ways. If we were witches, could we have managed to raise them to the levels they are today? I feel sorry for the mindset that young people have towards the elderly or persons with albinism because we are people who need their assistance more but instead, they torture or abuse us." He cried.

The Department of Civic Education is running a series of awareness campaigns across the country to mitigate abuse perpetrated against persons with albinism and the elderly.