Written by Mona Sukkariya
Translated by Daisy Khalil
If the past could speak, it would tell the elderly stories and never ending tales. If the memory could express itself, it would only describe their lives. Old aged people are our legacy and our fortune. The question remains “are we honoring them the way they deserve to be?”
Social Affairs Ministry issued a report on the services provided to elderly in Lebanon as well as on the institutions concerned with taking care of old aged people. The Ministry will also organize a workshop to discuss said report and the conditions of elderly who celebrate their international day on November 1st. It is worth noting that the Arab elderly day was celebrated on September 25 with a Lebanese participation through Ms. Anisa Al-Najjar.
This 97-year-old woman had spend around 60 years at the service of the social work, establishing in this regard three institutions: the first concerned with children who live in refuges, the second for reanimating women’s role in rural areas, and the third keen to introduce the Lebanese women to international women institutions, briefing them on their issues and trying to find adequate solutions.
Al-Najjar who had received a phone call, one day last September, from the Lebanese first lady Wafaa Sleiman, informing her that she had earned the title of pioneer lady to represent Lebanon in the Arab Day for honoring the elderly in Tunisia, is currently still waiting for another call from Mrs. sleiman who promised to schedule an appointment in the coming weeks to felicitate Najjar for the medal of honor she earned in Tunis from the head of Arab Tunisian Women Organization, Leila Ben Ali, under the Arab League’s supervision.
the head of Arab Tunisian Women Organization, Leila Ben Ali
Along with 14 Arab women chosen to represent their countries, Dr. Zuheir Hatab, specialized in family, youth and women’s affairs participated in the conference and presented a detailed report on elderly in the Arab world.
In a talk with the National News Agency, Hatab said that the elderly day which was held in Tunisia was under the umbrella of the Arab league whereby women from the Arab world were honored, “although it remained a celebration and did not yet take an executive aspect.” In this regard, Hatab presented the First Lady with a proposal to honor the elderly in Lebanon, especially those who suffer from bad social conditions.
He considered that this occasion aims at shedding light on loyalty to Arab elderly, noting that every Arab country has old aged women and men who have made many achievements throughout their long lives.
Hatab also uttered regret that the most common issue lately spread among people is their neglect and lack of responsibility towards the elderly.
“Youth ought to remember their moral values”, he said.
As for the social and legal conditions of elderly in Lebanon, Hatab said: “There is some lack of awareness regarding this issue, for our community structure preserves elderly rights but the state ought to take care of old people who have no relatives to rely on. “We should allow old people to be productive, despite their age”, he explained, calling for not marginalizing this category of people who deserve full respect.
Hatab also called for classifying the old aged people, giving those who can still work the chance to be productive, and then buying their products. He reminded as well of the need to implement the elderly insurance law.
Furthermore, Hatab said that elderly rate in Lebanon is around 7% while the ratio in Europe is almost 20%, a number which is estimated for the year 2050.
“Many old ladies from the Arab world deserve honor”, Hatab said, but there had to be one women that represents all of them. “I was amazed by the fact that most of those who participated in the honoring ceremony were above 80 years old, among whom Ms. Anisa Al-Najjar who easily recalls all her life’s stages, and Ms. Wahida Al-Azameh from Syria, who is the first doctor to work in the military field and to write books about health. Azameh impressed the participants by her very active mind and her good language. It is to note that Dr. Azameh contributed in establishing a number of associations concerned with women, children and family affairs. She is also a member of the International Federation for Family Planning executive committee.”
Anisa Al-Najjar who earned several medals of Honor for her role as a volunteer who have always claimed women’s rights and worked for “improving women’s role, not only in raising children but also in serving the society.”
Najjar expressed regret for being honored abroad and not in her country although she was a graduate of the American University of Beirut AUB and she had never stopped “giving” until the day she reached 97 years old.
Moreover, Najjar criticized Lebanese women’s call for accepting the “women quota” in the Parliament, for “they have not served in any way the women in rural areas of Lebanon.”
110 years old
Halloum Al-Akoumi is the eldest women in Akkar region and she had been honored by Social Affairs Minister, Salim Al-Sayegh.
Huweish inhabitants told our correspondent that Akoumi is actually 122 years old but her identity card says the woman was born in 1900.
Akoumi who got married at the age of 12 when she was deprived of her identity cards, has now around 325 grandchildren who think of her as strong, funny and loving.
The women had never smocked in her life, and had never been to a doctor until lately when she fell and broke her hip. She was known for fabricating medications for sterility. She doesn’t eat much, and her diet is based on vegetables, honey, eggs and chicken away from meat products.
The old woman is also famous for her strength which was highlighted by her participation in the “dabkeh” dance few weeks ago. The most impressing fact is that Halloum still has a very good memory and still remembers the details of Lebanon’s history.
