Today, October 1, is the International Day of Older Persons. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addresses Belarusians on this occasion:
“The way a society treats older people says a lot about its values.
Caring for people means many things. It means not having to choose between food and medicine after retirement. It means having access to medical and social support. It means that as people grow older, they can enjoy life rather than simply survive.
Today, the UN and the World Health Organization are discussing how to reshape pension, healthcare, housing, and social protection systems so that people can live longer. In Belarus, older people continue to be persecuted and detained for comments posted online. At least 43 political prisoners of retirement age are currently behind bars. Nine of them are over 70.
These are people who worked for decades, raised children, supported their families, and at some point simply wanted a better life for their children and grandchildren. Now they are behind bars.
Old age should be a time when a person can feel that everything they did throughout their life mattered. A time when they can count on support, respect, and safety regardless of their views or life path. At an older age, people can still travel, learn new things, exercise, meet friends, pursue their passions, take part in the life of their city and country, and feel that they matter to others. Yet in today’s Belarus, people rarely even get to imagine that life after retirement could look this way.
Retirement should not mean that life comes to a stop. This requires a system that actively cares for older people, listens to their needs, and creates the conditions for a fulfilling life.
A dignified old age is not a privilege. It is something every person deserves”.
