World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (Photo Courtesy: Google Images)

What it is?

The UN (United Nations) designated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed every year on June 15. 

Why it is for?

The purpose of any dedicated day is to remind/aware us about the most neglected and important matter that influence our lives and lifestyle. It may be the environment day/mothers day/ocean day and many. Likewise, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is the most important day designated to understand how elders are being abused, understanding human rights for older people.

What is Abuse? According to the definition from the dictionary, Abuse is something "to the use of something in a way that is wrong or harmful"

Agewell foundation

We may not aware that there are seven forms of abuse that elders may face. These are,

•  Physical abuse
•  Sexual abuse
•  Emotional or psychological abuse,
•  Neglect
•  Abandonment
•  Financial abuse
•  Self-neglect 

It is not surprising that the majority of the elders who have faced abuse at the hands of their own children and grandchildren and their family members, just because they are no longer deemed ‘useful’ or keeping them alive just to benefits from the government (Pensions).

Everyone should remember "oldage is theirs today and yours tomorrow". With the present technology, we are capable of going to the moon and other planets. But birth, disease, old-age and death are inevitable and one can not skip them in their lifetime. And we should remember that children in home good at mimic people around them because it is the learning process for them. If you ignore/abuse elders at home, next is your turn.

Older people face particular difficulties in the following key areas:

• Physical & Mental Health 
• Community Care
• Social Care 
• Housing 
• Transport 
• Employment 
• Income 
• Education And Leisure 
• Safety & Security 
• Utilities & Consumer Protection 
• Access to information and Decision-Making

Human Rights of Older People:

What are rights?

• Right to life shall be protected by law. 
• Right not to be subjected to inhuman treatment “No-one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. 
• Right to liberty “Everyone has the right to liberty and personal security.

Civil rights and obligations:

• The right to respect at home, within family and in private life
• The right to freedom of thought and conscience.
• The right not to be discriminated against age 
• The right to property - everyone is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions 
• The right to education

Report from the Times journalist" it has been seen that the main abusers are their own children... there is a law (Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007) under which if children do not look after parents they can be jailed". So there is a legal tool that can be used by the elderly if the rights are violated. But they don't because their rights are taken away by their dear ones (personal observation).

What I am pointing here?

Certainly, there are many things which comes under the above stated 7 abuse types that we may not aware of. Because they seem little things for us but not for them.

Let's take the most general scenario: The Lockdown due to Corona Pandemic, most of us are staying/working from home. We may become an extra load for our parents. Because they are loving us and wanted to make our favourite dishes and recipes. In another way, people in-home may ask them to prepare their favourite recipes (earlier used to order online). I believe this comes under elder abuse.

Working official 8hrs in a day from home will not stop us helping parents/grandparents in daily household activities. Helping parents/grandparents in daily household activities or cooking will help to enrich our bond with them.

Image Source: Eenadu

We are in the age group of the '20s or '30s so definitely we are with our parents or grandparents who are aged around 50s or 60s who have completed all of their responsibilities (personal and professional). Still, it is not their job of looking after grandchildren/great-grandchildren unless it's their free will to do. We should learn how to balance work and family.

Note: Please note that this blog is not intended to offend anyone personally. And feedback will be appreciated.

Reference:

1. AGEWELL RESEARCH & ADVOCACY CENTRE (For Needs & Rights of Older people)
2. https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/events/events/2020/06/2020-world-elder-abuse-awareness-day-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-abuse-and-neglect-of-older-people

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A blog by Gnanasekhar Varma

Research Scholar

Photographer (Nature, Bird)

Follow me using the below link for more updates/Photography

https://www.instagram.com/gnanasekhar_varma/?hl=en

World Environment Day 2020

World Environment Day 2020

    Photo Source: Gnanasekhar Varma

    Instagram: gnanasekhar_varma

What is Environment?

The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. 

Why we are celebrating (Every Year)?

World Environment Day is held each year on June 5. The purpose is to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. 

Why are we celebrating every year? We celebrate our birthdays every year; it is a process of appreciation of our accomplishments (or responsibilities) and hoping for the betterment in further. It is similar to that; we should celebrate a dedicated day for some particular persons, things, system because statistics say that there are: 360,000 births per day. 151,600 people die (now it is more because of the Covid19 pandemic). I am sure that this day is new for many kids and elders who may have forgotten.    

What do we want?

All the species in the world wants to live in an excellent environment, and the environment includes all the living and non-living things (land, air, water, human, animals, etc.). We the human also wants to live in a friendly and pure environment. Still, the pure/pleasant environment is possible only if we respect other fellow fellows in the same environment. As a family, the family will be happier and prosperous only if all the family members are collectively loving and supportive.

But these days it is nearly impossible to live together as a family, and the reasons are many that we know already. We can not even survive as a family (of say 10) in the same home then. How can we expect to live peacefully with other fellows in an environment with 8.7 million diverse species (living and non-living)? We can not.

I will tell you the case study of breaking the law: Now the population has increased rapidly, and we lost most natural habitats. So usually, we will plan a family trip to leftover natural habitats popular with names national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. If not possible, any nearby forest sites. So, we need food, shelter to survive there. So we will pack everything mostly in single-use plastic bags because while return we want to come with less luggage if we have toddlers, single-use diapers (most observed wastage by me). So finally, our trip ends successfully, but the place we visited is no longer a natural habitat because we don't have common sense, gratitude, and this goes on we are searching for the fresh one again. I am not mentioning the consequences of plastic here because we have a better idea. There are many cases like these includes industries and their wastage, projects, etc.

   Photo source: Google Images

Why are we are running behind?

Whatever the knowledge we are getting is mainly through education and our government included environmental studies, tours to nearby natural habitats(with care) in the academics start from the schools. But I can say from my personal experience; it is the most neglected subject I ever had gone through. We are interested in competitive studies rather than studies which uplift our healthy lifestyle, which gives personality, at least common sense.

Kids become adults, citizens, and senior citizens. If they don't learn things in their studies or from elders, they can not learn forever. If we don't know how to preserve our environment, we will be a burden to nature, and it will eliminate us, but mind it, nature's curse is not selective. It will kill all (we are experiencing now).

What do we need to do?

Nothing new; we have to wait for the following environment day. Getting to know our faults solves 60% of the problem. 
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A blog by Gnanasekhar Kamparaju

Visual Storyteller, Photographer (Nature, Bird), Research Scholar
https://www.instagram.com/gnanasekhar_varma/?hl=en

Forcing a child to talk on the phone, is it good or bad ?

Well....socialising in the society, family and relatives are important and it is essential to acquire knowledge and to know about trends. But it depends on your child age and mental condition. If he is less than 5 years old, there is no use in scolding or forcing him to take calls from other family members. Of course, their grandma, grandpa or whoever are loving the child and feels happy to see them talking. 

But just think in the view of the child if he is 2 or 3 years old....his perception is limited he doesn't care about others who are not around him at that instant. Sometimes even they can't remember the things and persons. But they can remember the people who are very close or other kids of same age group with whom they used to play like mother or neighbours kids. But speaking on phone calls depends on his current mood also, if the people on the other side are good at singing, storytelling, and so on they may get attention. Usually, for regular talk like...."hey kid, see here I am your uncle, speak to me! do a flip for me! do something crazy" simply they will ignore. One thing we have to understand is 2year old kids do not have any business with people living far from him unless they get fun from them. 

Then what we should do?

• There is nothing wrong in showing funny photos, videos recordings of your relatives and letting them to familiar their face, names gradually. 
• Ask your relatives to play game, music or stories with toys (if it is video call) they will get attention.
• Wait for the right moment when your kid is in a good mood to speak to others. Or show them funny phone conversation of kids with others in youtube or any.
• Other best way is making our relatives or grandparents happy by sending your child funny video recordings, photos, audios (you may have plenty of them in your mobile). 
• Ask them to visit home frequently and play with him.
• If you're worried about your relatives or their grandparents. Smoothly educate them by describing the above-mentioned things. 

What we should not do?

• This is important to note every parent. As mentioned earlier 2year old kid doesn't have any business with people who are far from him and also shouting with big voice or scolding them for not taking calls (especially kids who are under age) comes under child harassment and child-abusing. Because they are not in s stage to understand the reason behind your anger. Simply it will create a gap between you and your child.
• Do not hesitate to educate your elders (even your parents). Because there is always a generation gap between us and our parents. And they give will educate us to know things through us which they did not learn at that time. 

Caste System and Misconception

In this blog, I am just trying to share my views on the present so-called caste system in India compared to the Vedic system of religion.

The Vedic system of religion we have been describing the varṇāśrama system created by Kṛṣṇa and please do not be confused with the present-day caste system which is the determination of social divisions by birth. But as to eradication of all social divisions, it cannot be done. This is still more foolishness, because Kṛṣṇa Himself says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: [Bg. 4.13] "This system of four social divisions, according to quality and work, is ordained by Me." But the difficulty is that this so-called caste system has come in, on account of the false notion that in order to be a brāhmaṇa, one must be the son of a brāhmaṇa. That is the caste system. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that. He says "according to quality and work." He never says "according to birth." So this so-called caste system in India is a false notion of cātur-varṇyaṁ, the system of four social divisions. The real system of cātur-varṇyaṁ means guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ, determination of the four social divisions according to quality and work. One must be qualified.

And how does one become qualified? That is also described. For instance, in Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa describes the qualities of a brāhmaṇa as follows: śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca jñānam vijñānam āstikyam[Bg. 18.42]. "Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and religiousness." So people who want to become brāhmaṇas must be educated to acquire these qualities. It is not enough simply to abolish the caste system, which is contaminated by the false conception of qualification by birthright. Certainly, this wrong caste system should be abolished. Also, educational centres should be opened for teaching people how to become genuine brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: according to their qualities and work, people naturally belong to different social groupings. So you cannot avoid it, but because you have created a false caste system, that should be abolished, and the system recommended by Kṛṣṇa that should be adopted.

In any event, you cannot avoid the natural occurrence of various social divisions. Nature's caste system will remain. Take, for example, the brahminical quality of truthfulness. All over the world, wherever you go, you'll find at least one person who is truthful. Does anyone say, "Oh, his father was truthful therefore, he is truthful"? This is nonsense. The father may be Hiraṇyakaśipu, a big demon, but his son can still be Prahlāda, a great devotee. It is not that one will inevitably become exactly like one's father. Of course, it may be; there is every possibility. But still, it is not a fact that the son unavoidably becomes like the father. So natural system is to classify a person and train him for a particular duty, according to his particular inner qualities and his particular propensity to act.

The benefit will be that the whole social body will function harmoniously. The social body must have a brain and arms and a belly and legs to be complete. If there is no brain, no head, then what is the use of these arms and legs and belly? It is all dead. So in human society, if there is not a class of learned, truthful, and honest men and men with all the brahminical qualifications then society is ruined. That is why people are perplexed. Today almost everyone is trained to be a śūdra, a labourer: "Go to the factory." That's all. "Go to the factory and get money." And when the man gets some money and if he is not realized about his state and he doesn't want to know the absolute truth of this human form of life and he will end up his life like an animal. If he is in the mode of Tamo guna he will immediately purchase wine and women and ruined himself and so society. 

So, the caste system is not what we are thinking now and it is far away from the truth. You are not what are you (like brahman,kshatriya or anything ) but you are what you want to be. 

The last point I am trying to say the role of caste in the Indian marriage system. Many times we have seen in newspapers like "killing of their own daughter or son for honouring caste". These things would not happen if one realizes and know reality. 

There is a verse from sastras 

Note: 
Please confirm yourself once when you keep posting and posing yourself as kshatriya, Brahmana or anything without having a proper understanding of qualities and responsibilities and it's simply on the basis of birth then it is non-sense. 

Why we need to be Religious.....?