Source : Age UK
Published on 29 July 2010 12:00 AM
The Government announced this morning that the Default Retirement Age will be scrapped by October 2011, under proposals published for consultation today.
Age UK has led the campaign to abolish the Default Retirement Age. Today’s welcome announcement marks a victory in our fight against age discrimination in the workplace. We believe that ending forced retirement has many benefits – giving employment security to hundreds of thousands of people, enabling people to save for longer for their retirement and allowing people the dignity of choosing when to retire. Enabling people to work and contribute their skills for longer not only keeps them active – it also makes economic sense as our population ages.
We are delighted that the Government is finally setting a clear date for the abolition of this arbitrary and unfair law. Around 100,000 people were forced to retire at or after 65 last year by this discriminatory measure. Scrapping the DRA means security for the hundreds of thousands more previously at risk of being forced out of their jobs simply because of their age.
Michelle Mitchell, Age UK Charity Director, said: “Everybody stands to win from scrapping forced retirement. People over 65 will have full employment rights for the first time. The economy will benefit from older workers’ precious skills and experience and their increased buying power. Public finances will receive a boost from more people paying taxes for longer.”
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sr citizens’ associations to protest on Aug 16 against government ignorance
Sr citizens’ associations to protest on Aug 16 against government ignorance
Published: Saturday, Aug 14, 2010, 3:41 IST
By Linah Baliga
Place: Mumbai
Agency: DNA
Associations of senior citizens from across the country have decided to observe a national protest day at Azad Maidan on August 16.
The All India Senior Citizens’ Confederation (AISCCON) and the Federation of Senior Citizens of Maharashtra (FESCOM) had been trying for three years to draw the government’s attention to the non-implementation of provisions in the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999. With no response forthcoming, the bodies have decided to protest with the support of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Tiss).
Elderly people would come together to tell the government that they could affect voting patterns in elections. “Eighty per cent of senior citizens vote,” said Nasreen Rustomfram, a professor at the Tiss and chairperson of its centre for lifelong learning. “Given that the elderly form a large part of the electorate, political will must be created to address their concerns.”
DN Chapke, secretary general of the AISCCON, said, “There are so many senior citizens who do not get one square meal a day. They don’t have any savings. With rising inflation, the major issue is health. Our demand is that universal health care be provided free of cost by the government.” Other demands include that one representative of senior citizens should be present on the committee that disburses pensions. Also, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (2007) amount should be increased from Rs400 to Rs500.
“This will give some dignity to senior citizens, as they will not be required to leave their homes due to lack of money,” said S Siva Raju, professor and chairperson of the school for social sciences at the Tiss.
“We should promote the concept of ageing at home, where they can have facilities and continue to lead a meaningful life. They are often not mentally and culturally prepared to move away from home.” Senior citizens have also demanded that day care centres be set up in each locality in the city. Chapke said, “This will reduce the need of old age homes. The centres should be within a radius of one km from their homes.”
Published: Saturday, Aug 14, 2010, 3:41 IST
By Linah Baliga
Place: Mumbai
Agency: DNA
Associations of senior citizens from across the country have decided to observe a national protest day at Azad Maidan on August 16.
The All India Senior Citizens’ Confederation (AISCCON) and the Federation of Senior Citizens of Maharashtra (FESCOM) had been trying for three years to draw the government’s attention to the non-implementation of provisions in the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999. With no response forthcoming, the bodies have decided to protest with the support of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Tiss).
Elderly people would come together to tell the government that they could affect voting patterns in elections. “Eighty per cent of senior citizens vote,” said Nasreen Rustomfram, a professor at the Tiss and chairperson of its centre for lifelong learning. “Given that the elderly form a large part of the electorate, political will must be created to address their concerns.”
DN Chapke, secretary general of the AISCCON, said, “There are so many senior citizens who do not get one square meal a day. They don’t have any savings. With rising inflation, the major issue is health. Our demand is that universal health care be provided free of cost by the government.” Other demands include that one representative of senior citizens should be present on the committee that disburses pensions. Also, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (2007) amount should be increased from Rs400 to Rs500.
“This will give some dignity to senior citizens, as they will not be required to leave their homes due to lack of money,” said S Siva Raju, professor and chairperson of the school for social sciences at the Tiss.
“We should promote the concept of ageing at home, where they can have facilities and continue to lead a meaningful life. They are often not mentally and culturally prepared to move away from home.” Senior citizens have also demanded that day care centres be set up in each locality in the city. Chapke said, “This will reduce the need of old age homes. The centres should be within a radius of one km from their homes.”
Monday, August 9, 2010
Centre for Lifelong Learning organises Press Conference on August 13, 2010 at TISS supporting Senior Citizens National Protest Day- August 16, 2010
The Joint Action Committee of Senior Citizens consisting of over twenty organisations from all over India has organised a Protest Day on Aug 16th, 2010 to highlight the apathy of the Central and State governments toward the issues of 10 Crore Senior Citizens of this country. For complete details, pl. go to http://groups.google.co.in/groups/scnpd
The Centre for Lifelong Learning, TISS in support of the just and long neglected demands of Senior Citizens and their Associations has organised a Press Conference to be held on the 13th August, 2010. at 2.30pm in the TISS Convention Centre Lobby, Naoroji Campus, Deonar Farm Road. Deonar, Mumbai,400088.
The Press Conference will be addressed by Prof. S. Parasuraman,Director, TISS, Dr. Kinjawdekar, President, AISSCON, Dr Chapke, General Secretary, AISSCON, Mr. Vijay Aundhe,President, FESSCOM, Prof. Sivaraju, Chairperson, Centre for Develpment Studies, TISS.
Kindly find attached the Action Plan circulated by the Joint Action Committee in Marathi and English, as also the Memorandum presented by the Joint Action Committee to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Manmohan Singh.The documents depict a tale of humiliation and neglect which lakhs of Senior Citizens are subject to in terms of their basic human rights concerning health, social security and mental and emotional well being. All legislation remains on paper.
To illustrate but a few:
- The National Policy for Older Persons (NPOP) despite having been adopted by the Central Government 11 years ago has not received a nod from 28 States and Union Territorries.Not a SINGLE State of India has fully implemented it.
- 32 States and Union territorries are yet to operationalise the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen's Act,2007 even three years after its enactment.
- In the Union budget for the year 2007-2008, out of the 22 crores allocated to the schemes for welfare of Senior Citizens, 12 crores were returned unutilised.
-The announcement by Mr. P. Chidambaram to set up a National Institute of Ageing, with an allocation of Rs 100 crores and 8 Regional Institutes with an allocation of 200 crores remains just that -- an announcement.
The list can run into pages.We exhort you to go through the attached documents to understand the enormity of the problem that is being faced by the elders in our country.
Your participation in the Press Conference as also demonstrating your solidarity on August 16th by wearing a black band and joining the march to Azad Maidan, will go a long away in supporting this Protest. You are also invited to post messages on our blog www.centreforlifelonglearningtiss.blogspot.com
In Solidarity with the Joint Action Committee,
Prof. Nasreen Rustomfram,
Mr. Sandip Ravindra,
Ms. Pallavi Kumari,
Ms. Megha Nikam
Capacity Building Programme for Zonal Directors and Deputy Directors of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan: Organised by Centre for Lifelong Learning, Sponsored by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan
 |
| Group Activity |
The programme focussed on the following:
- Enhance their ability to envision the devising of innovative programmes for the youth clubs
- Develop skills for effective organisational communication, teamwork and conflict resolution and for managing stress.
- Learn the basic techinical skills of planning, monitoring and evaluating projects with focus on how of work with network with variety of youth programmes and missions which provide a platform for youth development.
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