Kathmandu: Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Shraddha Shrestha, emphasized the urgent need for senior citizen-friendly service standards and dignified service delivery at a program organized by the ministry to mark the Fifth National Senior Citizens Day. She stressed the importance of providing respectful services that meet the specific needs of senior citizens, ensuring dignity and respect in their treatment.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Shrestha highlighted the necessity of intergenerational dialogue, collaboration, and experience-sharing at various levels, from families to national governance, to achieve these goals. She called for a collaborative approach involving federal, provincial, and local governments, civil society, the private sector, communities, families, and other stakeholders to enhance the lives of senior citizens.
The Minister underscored the valuable knowledge, experience, and social capital that senior citizens possess, urging collective efforts to create a society that respects and includes them. She also mentioned that the ministry has initiated steps to improve facilities like the Pashupati Old Age Home and address related issues.
Minister Shrestha announced a collaboration with the Ministry of Health to establish a special hotline service, 1115, to address senior citizens’ health-related problems and complaints, allowing them to communicate directly with the government.
Nepal celebrates the Fifth National Senior Citizens Day with the theme ‘Our Collective Campaign: Reverence and Respect for Senior Citizens.’ The observance, which began in 2078 BS (2021 AD), aims to foster respect for senior citizens and protect their rights. The decision to mark Poush 11 annually as National Senior Citizens Day was made by the Central Senior Citizens Welfare Committee in 2078 BS (April 21, 2021), aligning with the historical introduction of social security allowances for senior citizens in Nepal on Poush 11, 2051 BS (December 26, 1994).