Every year on June 15th, the international community observes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, an official occasion established by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 66/127.
This day aims to highlight the silent suffering faced by older people worldwide and to stand against all forms of physical, psychological, and material abuse or neglect, while emphasizing their fundamental right to live in dignity, safety, and sustainable health.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that older people in Syria are not merely a demographic group in need of care, but rather the repository of national memory, the guardians of civil peace, and the social pillar that has contributed to the cohesion of Syrian families throughout the years of the protracted crisis. Protecting them is a national and moral duty, not simply a legal obligation.
The Syrian Future Movement notes with grave concern the findings of the 2026 United Nations reports, which indicate that the elderly constitute approximately 7% to 8% of the current Syrian population. This is a high percentage compared to pre-war decades, resulting from the emigration of young people, leaving a large segment of the elderly to face old age alone, without a provider or direct family support.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the alarming figures issued by humanitarian organizations operating inside Syria and in displacement camps, which confirm that more than 85% of elderly Syrians live below the extreme poverty line. They suffer from acute food insecurity and difficulty accessing essential medications for chronic diseases, representing an indirect form of “structural neglect and abuse” imposed by the conditions of war.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the current transitional phase necessitates that national institutions and international organizations adopt a “comprehensive protection strategy for the elderly.” This strategy should include launching social safety net programs, ensuring dignified pensions, and providing free medical and home-based care to guarantee that no elderly Syrian is left to face destitution or marginalization. The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the necessity of activating legislation and laws in the coming phase to criminalize all forms of abuse or abandonment of parents and the elderly. This must be done in parallel with strengthening the authentic values of social solidarity that have characterized Syrian society throughout history, and rejecting alien behaviors resulting from economic and psychological pressures.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that building the “Syria of the future” requires honoring those who built its past. Justice and recovery in our society will not be achieved unless the development plans for the transitional phase guarantee the respect and dignity of the elderly, and utilize their wisdom and experience in rebuilding the nation and establishing sustainable peace.
