Int’l Day of Older Persons being observed today

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 2: The 33rd United Nations International Day of Older Persons 2023 is being observed across the world with the theme 'Fulfilling the promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Person: Across Generations, on Monday. The United Nations has started celebrating the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 every year since 1990, with the aim of promoting respect and rights of senior citizens.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, National Women Commission, provincial, local governments and the National Federation of Senior Citizens have organised various programmes for the promotion of the rights and interests of senior citizens.  

Issuing a press statement on Sunday, the National Human Rights Commission expressed best wishes to all the senior citizens on this occasion. 

It is estimated that there are 760 million people over the age of 60 in the world. According to Nepal census, 2021, the population of senior citizens in Nepal is 2,977,318.  It is estimated that this number will reach 2 billion by 2050 due to the improvement in the average life expectancy. The increase in the average life expectancy of senior citizens is positive, but the problem of senior citizens is increasing day by day globally and it has become a challenge, the commission stated. 

The increasing trend of family members going abroad for employment has made senior citizens lonely. The inter-generational closeness is becoming distant due to nuclear family and technological advancement. The incidents of abuse of senior citizens is increasing, the respect and protection for senior citizens from home, family, society and the state is declining.  Elderly people are being taken to old age homes without proper care and maintenance.

The social security allowance, health insurance, health treatment discount facility, transportation discount facility, provision of reservation of seats, lack of implementation of service priority have added challenges for the rights of senior citizens.

The Article 41 of Fundamental Rights of the Constitution of Nepal, Senior Citizens Act 2063,  Local Government Operation Act 2074, national laws including policies on senior citizens and Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 and Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 are formulated to guarantee the rights of senior citizens,

Although there are international legal systems such as the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966, the United Nations Principles of Senior Citizens 1991, the Vienna Convention, and the Macao Declaration 1998, for the protection of senior citizens, but its implementation side seems weak.

The Commission urged all three level governments, political parties, non-governmental organizations and all stakeholders to provide all kinds of services to senior citizens, to give priority in service delivery and to pay attention to the health of senior citizens.