THE rural elderly are presently under great strife.
And the Fiji Council of Social Services says the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons would be useful as they end the homelessness within their own village homes.
It said the convention would assist in the financial hopelessness of the majority who had never been in any form of pensions as social justice would require the granting of social pensions to all.
Furthermore, it said the rights of the elderly would mean end to traditional and cultural discrimination particularly of rural women and also mean access to health care facilities.
These views are contained in the FCOSS' Help Age Centre's Age Demands Action (ADA) 2012 Fiji Consultations report which was presented to the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau yesterday.
"Worldwide survey by Help Age International has shown that social pensions paid to the elderly have increased their value in family and community, leading to a dignified life," the report said.
"The rural elderly have also said that rights based approach to their issues will remove the bureaucratic and legislative politics and restore the integrity of the aged.
"Many older people related their sad stories of cultural bigotry, the sufferings at the hands of their own kith and kin and further rapid migration of the young people for urban centres for job and other opportunities have left them without love and care," said the report.