MUMBAI:
On the occasion of World Senior Citizen’s Day (August 21), Godrej Locks, India’s most trusted locking solutions brand, embarked on ‘Suraksha Charcha’ forum to promote home safety amongst senior citizens across the country.
This initiative is a part of Godrej Locks’s Har Ghar Surakshit, India’s largest public awareness campaign to make citizens conscious of home safety. Godrej Locks will conduct interactive sessions to make senior citizens safety conscious and empower them with knowledge to improve their home safety. These forums will be held in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Bangalore, reaching out to more than 1,000 senior citizens across India.
While homes are considered to be safe abodes for families, 64% Indians are not prepared to deal with home safety threats like robberies and thefts, as per ‘Har Ghar Surakshit Report 2018’. Crimes related to burglaries, theft, and robberies are on the rise as continuous monitoring of the home is arduous. Most of the homes have senior citizens, who are left alone or in the perceived safety of caretakers or maids.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2017 report, a whopping 21,410 crimes against senior citizens were reported in 2016, of which, 1024 has been just robberies. Undoubtedly, senior citizens are at risk even within the walls of their home and there is a strong need to sensitize them about it.
In 2018, Godrej Locks unveiled Har Ghar Surakshit, a nationwide movement to make Indians home safety conscious on November 15, observed as Home Safety Day. Taking into consideration risks faced by senior citizens, not only outside but also within homes, Godrej Locks conceptualized ‘Suraksha Charcha’ forum to be conducted in association with various senior citizens’ associations in India. Godrej Locks safety experts will engage senior citizens in a two-way discussion to understand their grievances, acknowledge their safety needs and make them the safety ambassadors for themselves, their home and society.
Commenting on ‘Suraksha Charcha’ forum for senior citizens, Shyam Motwani, Executive Vice- President and Business Head, Godrej Locks said, “As a brand that is synonymous with trust and safety, we acknowledge the overall safety needs of our elderly. We conceptualized ‘Suraksha Charcha’ forum to make them self-dependent for their safety, be it inside or outside of homes. Simultaneously, we want to inspire families to adopt practices which will make homes senior citizen friendly. We are confident that this forum will empower over 1000 senior citizens to be better equipped to take precautionary measures for their own as well as home safety.”
Godrej Locks conducted the inauguration session of ‘Suraksha Charcha’ in Mumbai with Samanwaya Senior Citizen Association. More than 70 senior citizens attended this engaging session where safety experts from Godrej Locks delivered a module on home safety for senior citizens. The enthusiasm and willingness to adopt home safety measures displayed by senior citizen was overwhelming. The first ‘Suraksha Charcha’ forum also saw presence of Prakash Borgaonkar, Director, HelpAge India, who was invited as a speaker to address the the topic on loneliness and safety for senior citizens.
Sharing his views on the initiative, Prakash Borgaonkar, Director, HelpAge India – a NGO working for senior citizens, said, “As India becomes a stronger developing economy, the youth is lured with high paying and demanding jobs, families have become more nuclear in nature with senior citizens left on their own. Such factors have led to the crime against elderly especially where senior citizens are living on their own. They are easy targets for criminals. Hence, it is imperative to make senior citizens aware of the challenges, empower them with knowledge, technology and prepare them to tackle such situations. I appreciate the efforts undertaken by Godrej Locks to start the home safety forum for senior citizens and contributing towards a safer world for them.”
