Sharjah 24: The Sharjah Social Services Department (SSSD) participates in the sixth forum for senior citizens and residents 2023, organised by the Family Development Foundation at Jebel Hafeet Community Centre, under the slogan “Towards sustainable social well-being for senior citizens and residents.”
His Excellency Ahmed Ibrahim Al Mail, Director of the Department, participated in the forum by presenting the efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah to join the global network of age-friendly cities and Communities (GNAFCC), by applying the standards approved by the World Health Organisation for the age-friendly cities, and highlighting the constructive steps that the emirate has taken in developing its age-friendly city to be available and appropriate for the elderly, people with disabilities and other age groups.
Al Mail touched on highlighting the strategic plan 2021-2023, for Sharjah to join GNAFCC, and creating an optimal environment that allows senior citizens to benefit from its resources and improve their quality of life by developing age-sensitive initiatives and services, strengthening the private sector’s responsibility towards senior citizens, spreading the culture of age-friendly city standards in Sharjah, raising community awareness about age sensitivity, and enabling them to share their experiences in society in addition to launching initiatives that contribute to their integration.
The director of the department stated that the current strategic plan aims to develop services directed to senior citizens in all sectors, and to ensure their sustainability in the field of outdoor spaces, buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, social integration, communications, information, community support, and health services.
His Excellency Ahmed Ibrahim Al Mail also revealed some of the outcomes of the strategic plan, implemented in cooperation with the government, private, and federal sectors after completing the outcomes of the first strategy 2017-2020, which consists of 189 standards distributed over 8 main axes, in addition to several initiatives including senior-friendly public spaces, and age-friendly housing initiative, an active and effective aging initiative to ensure senior citizens’ community participation, a healthy aging initiative, and other initiatives.
Al Mail appreciated the joint efforts of the heads, directors and officials of government and private entities in the Emirate of Sharjah, which provide all capabilities to perform all activities and services according to available resources and which ensure the integration of senior citizens into society.
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