On the occasion of 15 June – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – the Red Cross of Vojvodina organized a lecture by the President of the Gerontology Society of Serbia, Nataša Todorović, at the National Library in Inđija on June 13, 2024. Attendees learned about the different types of elder abuse, the greatest risks, and the procedures for reporting abuse.
Mirela Sedlan, Secretary of the Red Cross of Inđija, emphasized the focus on rural communities, which often have limited access to healthcare services, offering them free health check-ups and advice on maintaining their health. Volunteers from the Red Cross of Vojvodina actively participated in interactive workshops dedicated to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, providing healthcare services and sharing useful information and experiences with elderly citizens.
The workshops were also an opportunity for pleasant interaction between younger and older citizens, providing attention to those who need it most. The lecture in Inđija demonstrated the power of joint engagement of civil society, the public sector, and the local community in improving the quality of life for the elderly and building an inclusive society that respects everyone’s rights and dignity.
These activities are part of the “Healthy Ageing in the Cross-Border Area – HEAL” project, a result of cooperation between the Red Cross of Vojvodina, the Red Cross of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Red Cross of Inđija, and the “European Affairs” Fund of AP Vojvodina.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a global campaign highlighting a significant issue, both in human rights and public health. This campaign reminds us that older people have an inalienable right to be protected from all forms of abuse. The initiative was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) in 2006 and has been observed in Serbia since 2007, thanks to the Red Cross of Serbia.
Source: IPA III CBC programme Serbia – Bosnia and Herzegovina website