International Day of Older Persons
Background:
On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing – which was adopted by the 1982 World
Assembly on Ageing – and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.
In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.
Since 1991, every year on October 1st, the International Day of Senior Citizens has been celebrated around the world on the call of the United Nations with the aim of providing respect and access to rights for senior citizens. This year, the United Nations has set the theme of Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons on the International Senior Citizens Day.
Statistics
Globally, there were 703 million persons aged 65 or over in 2019. The region of Eastern and South-Eastern Asia was home to the largest number of older persons (261 million), followed by Europe and Northern America (over 200 million).
Over the next three decades, the number of older persons worldwide is projected to more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons in 2050. All regions will see an increase in the size of the older population between 2019 and 2050. The largest increase (312 million) is projected to occur in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, growing from 261 million in 2019 to 573 million in 2050.
Senior Citizens in Nepal
Like all over the world, the life expectancy of people in Nepal has also increased due to which the number of senior citizens is also increasing. The global population of senior citizens is steadily increasing due to longer life expectancies and declining birth rates. By 2050, it's estimated that there will be over 2 billion people aged 60 and older. According to the 2068 census, 9 percentage of the total population (about 2.5 million) of people over 60 years of age in Nepal and this ratio is increasing in Nepal.
Rights guaranteed to senior citizens by the constitution of Nepal.
They are equal in the eyes of the law.
They cannot be denied equal protection.
There will be no discrimination in the application of common law.
Special arrangements will be made for protection, empowerment and development as per the law.
There will be the right to receive special protection and social security from the state.
ID card and appeal
There is a provision that senior citizens can get their identity card from the rural municipality or municipality where they live, while there is a provision that senior citizens can file a complaint with the rural municipality or municipality if it is found that injustice has been done to the senior citizens.
Sorha Shradhha: Tritiya Shradhha
Pitri Gayatri Mantra:
देवताभ्यः पितृभ्यश्च महायोगिभ्यः एव च। नमः स्वाहायै स्वधायै नित्यमेव नमोनमः।।
It means salutations to the gods, pitras, great yogis, svaha and svadha all the time.
Pitri, Baitarni and Salvation
With the commencement of the Sorha Saddha may all the godlike Pitri in the Pitri realm between heaven and earth obtain salvation, may all the Pitri cross the Baitarni River, and may the ancestral love be maintained.
May the blessings of the ancestors be maintained, May goodness and good wishes are maintained, and we are the remnants of the ancestors in today's form, aren't we?
Tarpan, Diyo Puja, Vishwedeva Brahman, and other pujas can be performed before the appointed time. There is a belief that if the Pinda is not donated at this time, the Pitris will not get it. Sanatana Philosophy largely acknowledges the importance of Pitri in the existence of life and the universe.
In Vedic Sanatan Sanskrit, Pitrikarma i.e. shraddha is usually performed twice, regular shraddha is performed on the tithi of death and another shraddha is performed during the period of Sorha shraddhas. May peace and happiness prevail in every family with the commencement of this year's Sorha Shraddha Wishing for the salvation of the Pitri who passed away on the Tritiya Shraddha date.
- Suyog Dhakal
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