The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the effective implementation of provisions in the Constitution, laws, and regulations, emphasizing sensitivity towards the rights of senior citizens.
The Commission issued this call through a press release on December 26, 2025, on the occasion of the Fifth National Senior Citizens’ Day. The day has been observed in Nepal since 2021 A.D. to promote respect and ensure the rights of senior citizens.
Currently, Nepal has 2,977,318 senior citizens. According to the National Census 2021, the growth rate of senior citizens is 3.5 percent. While the overall population growth rate is 0.92 percent, the higher growth rate of senior citizens indicates a continuing rise in their numbers.
The press release highlights that increasing life expectancy, reduced mortality, and growing health awareness are contributing to this rise. The Commission stressed that governments at all three levels need to take concrete steps to transfer the knowledge, skills, experience, and capacities of senior citizens to younger generations so that society and the nation benefit.
The Commission reaffirmed that the protection and promotion of senior citizens’ rights remain a key priority.
A study conducted by the Commission on the implementation of the rights provided under Article 41 of the Constitution and the Senior Citizens Act, 2063, revealed that many senior citizens are unaware of their rights and have not fully experienced the benefits of state-provided services.
Monitoring further found that senior citizens often face exclusion from priority services in healthcare and transportation. Some experience family neglect, abandonment, or institutionalization in old-age homes, which leads to feelings of loneliness and deprivation of respect, care, and affection.
In response, the Commission has directed all three levels of government to prioritize senior citizens in policies, plans, programs, and budgets, facilitate intergenerational knowledge transfer, and emphasize respect for their dignity.
The Commission also called on family members and civil society to fulfill their responsibilities to ensure the rights and respect of senior citizens, as highlighted in the press release issued by the NHRC Spokesperson and Joint Secretary, Dr. Tikaram Pokharel.