Voice of Senior Citizens, March 2015

AGEING IN NEPALI PRESS
(Feb.1 – 30, 2015)
ADVOCACY
Advocacy Alliance meet
HelpAge International Nepal
Kathmandu February 3, 2015
An Advocacy Alliance meeting was called by HelpAge International Nepal on 3 Feb 2015 to
discuss ways to strengthen the relationships of HelpAge, the National Senior Citizen’s
Federation, and Ageing Nepal, two of HelpAge’s strongest advocacy partners in Nepal. Each
of the three organisations have now taken specific responsibilities for conducting advocacy
campaigns to highlight the state of Nepal’s Older People both in and outside the country,
with HelpAge leading on the technical advisory section of the Alliance.
Meeting held to implement the Senior Citizen Act
Gorkhapatra
Kalikot February 7, 2015
District Development Committee organized a meeting of senior citizens of Kalikot district to
take initiatives for the implementation of the Senior Citizen’s Act 2006. The meeting was
chaired by Local Development Officer who also chairs the District Senior Citizens Welfare
Committee. Honorable parliament member Mr. Tularaj Bist participated in the meeting as
the Chief Guest. Speaking on the occasion, Chief District Officer Mr. Pradeep Shrestha
expressed his commitment to make all government offices of the district elder friendly.
Senior citizens from all 30 VDCs of the district participated in the meeting. The meeting
discussed various problems faced by Senior Citizens of the district. Issues were raised about
lack of identity card, meager amount of Old Age Allowance, need of Old Age Home, among
many others. The meeting ended with declaration of 14 points related to the rights and
wellbeing of older persons.
Training of Trainers came to the conclusion
The Rising Nepal
Itahari Feb, 13 2015
A two-day senior citizens’ planning review meeting and five-day Training of Trainers (ToT) to
caregivers was held in Itahari of Sunsari district. Senior citizens and concerned stakeholders
from 16 eastern districts took part in that training. ToT was organized by National Federation
of Senior Citizens in collaboration with Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. In
the event, Ms. Meera Sherchan, Under Secretary of Ministry of Women, Children and Social
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Welfare, informed that the Ministry is updating the Senior Citizen Act 2006 to make it more
practical and useful for the senior citizens.
DRR training and planning workshop
HelpAge International
Kathmandu 27 February, 2015
HelpAge International Nepal and HelpAge International South Asia Regional Office jointly
organised Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training and planning workshop with local and
regional staff members from Bangladesh and Nepal, in Kathmandu on 23-27 February 2015
to mark the official start of HelpAge’s new DRR work in Nepal. HelpAge’s pioneer Older
People-inclusive DRR project will be implemented in 18 villages in the four districts of Kailali,
Bardiya, Kaski, and Tanahun in partnership with three partners, CSG, FAYA Nepal, and
NEPAN. Similarly, two of HelpAge’s Charter 14 advocacy asks for Older People in DRR was
signed by Mr. Rameshwar Dangal, Joint Secretary and Head of Disaster Mgmt Division,
Ministry of Home Affairs, as a sign of the Ministry’s commitment towards Older Peoplefocussed DRR planning.
SOCIAL SUPPORT
Senior citizens felicitation
Following program was organized in the month of February to felicitate senior citizens.
S.N.
1.
No. of
elders
felicitated
Age
Sex
Address
By Whom
Where
When
Source
3
90+
M
Kathmandu
Constituent
Assembly
member
Kathmandu
20
Nepal
Samach
arpatra
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Senior citizens felicitated
Nepal Samacharpatra
Kathmandu February 20, 2015
All Senior citizens above 90 years old living in Kuleshore residential area were felicitated
amidst a function here. Parliamentarian Mr. Dhyan Govinda Ranjit felicitated 104 years old
Govinda Prasad Dahal, 103 years old Raghunath Shah and 91 years old Bishnu Prasad Bidari,
respectively.
On this occasion, the lawmaker Ranjit announced to provide Rs. 1 million from the
Parliamentarian Development Fund to construct a building to be used as Day Care Center for
senior citizens of the area.
Support Provided
Following events took place for supporting OAHs and the destitute elderly.
S.N.
Supporter
To Whom
Reason
What
How
much
When
(1-30
Feb)
Where
Source
1.
Actor
On the
occasion of
Birthday
Heater and
Television
-
1
Damak
Gorkhapatra
2.
Generous
couple
Service
Blanket
-
11
Illam
Nepal
Samacharpatra
3.
Generous
people
Student of
International
school of
tourism and
hotel
management
Paropakar
and
Anusandhan
OAH
Mai
bhagawati
OAH
Elderly
person
Elderly of
Nisaya
sewasadan
OAH
Service
-
-
21
Lothar
Kantipur
Service
Blankets and
Horlicks
43
18
Kathman
du
Gorkhapatra
4.
“Access Our Medicine Initiative” has collected over 93,000
signatures for affordable medicine and Ageing Nepal is proud
to support the initiative. We know our community can help
them reach 100,000 signatures. For more details:
http://accessourmedicine.com/?utm_source=CE&utm_mediu
m=CE&utm_campaign=CE083
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Policy on bus fare
Kantipur
Kathmandu February 5, 2015
Senior citizens of Kathmandu valley will enjoy 50 per cent discount in the public transport
fare. The decision was reached in a meeting chaired by the Chief District Officer (CDO) of
Kathmandu and participated by the representatives of Transport Entrepreneurs of Bagmati
Zone. CDO Mr. Eknarayan Aryal informed that this decision is taken to implement the
provision of Senior Citizens Act 2006. As Senior Citizens Identity Cards are not yet provided
by Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare, any legal paper issued by CDO such as
driving license will be taken as a valid document to provide 50 % discount in public transport
fare. Other decision taken by the meeting includes the decision to form a team of traffic
police and transport entrepreneurs to monitor if the program is implemented effectively.
The meeting also decided that older people will not have to be in queue for other public
services
Locals organize Purana (a Hindu religious function) to build OAH
Annapurna
Itahara (Morang) February 9, 2015
Every year, the locals of Itahara have been raising Rs. 500,000 as donations received through
purana. They used the fund to construct one OAH building. This is the 28th time that they
organizing the purana and plan to complete the building with the fund raised. Chairman of
the building construction committee Mr. Ambika Prasad Dahal said; "When we developed a
plan to build an OAH near the temple, we had no resources. We then decided to organize
Purana and we have finally succeeded to implement our plan."
SOCIAL SECURITY
Octogenarian refuses to receive old age allowance
Kantipur
Makwanpur February 7, 2015
Dami Maya Chepang 86, of Kalikatar-6 has refused to receive the social allowance stating
that taking government money would indebt her and she may not be able to pay back. This
level of misunderstanding about old age allowance among older people demonstrate the
need for information dissemination about the rights of older people and what the
government is doing for them. A patient of asthama, Chepang even didn’t accept the
allowance when the village secretary reached her home with her allowance.
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Old Age Allowance distributed from banks
Nepal Samacharpatra
Parbat February 9, 2015
Senior citizens of Parbat district have started collecting social security allowance from the
bank. When they complaint that allowance amount Rs. 10 million was embezzled, the
District Development Committee started distributing allowance to all 42 Village
Development Committees through banks.
Meanwhile, the news published on 13th February in Annapurna post informed that DDC
Parbat has signed an agreement with five different banks to distribute the allowance. But the
senior citizens of Parbat have opposed the provision of receiving the allowance from the
banks because they could not walk to the bank to receive the money.
Difficulty in receiving allowances
Gorkhapatra
Baitadi February 22, 2015
After the government introduced a provision to distribute the allowance from banks, Senior
citizens, differently able people and widows of Dasharath Municipality have not received
their security allowance since eight months. The allowance money now has been kept in the
Agriculture Development Bank. But the bank has not started distribution because of its
inability to manage accounts of each recipient.
ACTIVE AGEING
Septuagenarian works 10 hours a day
Kantipur
Baitadi February 12, 2015
Dani Ram Bhool, 71, of Srikot-6 works 10 hours a day to feed his seven member family. Every
day, he starts operating his sewing machine early in the morning. After the death of his two
sons, a daughter and son-in-law, Mr. Bhool himself has responsibility to feed his daughtersin-law, grandsons and granddaughters."If I do not work hard, I won’t manage to buy food
and to pay fees of the grandchildren," Bhool said.
Elderly attracted to literacy class
Kantipur
Dadeldhura February 15, 2015
Sixty seven years old Ms. Jogini Bohora has been an illiterate farmer throughout her life but
things are changing fast for her. She as a child had desire to read and write but girl education
was a taboo then. She enjoys good health and spends most of her time in farming. Lately she
joined literacy class run by Manilek Community Discussion Centre, a civil society
organization. She is proud of her newly acquired ability to read and write.
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Krishna Kumari marks her 100th birth Anniversary
Annapurna
Dharan February 16, 2015
Krishna Kumari Basnet of Dharan-16 has celebrated her 100th birth anniversary by organizing
a lavish programme. Basnet was born in Terhathum district and now settled at Dharan city in
Sunsari. Basnet can still walk and see easily.
DEVELOPMENT
Septuagenarian's support to OAH
Gorkharpatra
Illam February 1, 2015
Construction of an old age home at Malum in Suryodaya Municipality has remained
incomplete since years due to the lack of budget. “The construction work that began in 2010
was completely halted after the completion of 50 per cent work.” Devi Uprety, chairman of
Managal Jyoti Trust, Phikkal expressed. A seventy eight years old Mr. Dal Bahadur Raut of
Biranagar came to know about this and donated Rs. 26,000 to construct the building. He is
known for his generous heart for he has donated in many other such social works.
Old age home in debt
Nepal Samacharpatra
Banke February 9, 2015
An old age home of Banke has not been able to pay a local vegetable vendor and now is in
debt. The vegetable vendor has stopped supplying vegetables for not getting paid. The
government has allocated Rs. 500,000 as support for Bheri Old Age. But the Home could not
get the money because the Village Secretary who is responsible for the disbursement has
been absent from his job for long.
Toilet from the allowance money
Nepal Samacharpatra
Dolakha February 22, 2015
Nara Maya Tamang, 87, of Jhule VDC built a toilet by saving the Old Age Allowance he
received. Ms. Tamang expressed, “Toilet is the signs of health and civilization that is why I
spend my saving to build it".
Commitment of an octogenarian
Gorkhapatra
Baitadi February 5, 2015
Mr. Sher Bahadur Eiri, 84, of Patan Municipality, Bhumeshwor is a carpenter. Mr. Eiri had
donated land in 1998 to build a school in the village and also worked for its construction.
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Now the school building is old and in run down state. Now he is working harder to renovate
the building and wishes to die only after construction of a new building for the school.
EMERGENCY
Following elders died of emergency and hazardous situations.
S.N
Name
Age
Gender
Address
1.
Somari Majhi
65
M
Birgunj
Cause
(detail)
Fire/Burnt
Date
Source
14
Annapurna
Village of only senior citizen
Kantipur
Makwanpur February 10, 2015
When young males and females of Deula village of Chitlang left the village in search of job,
the village has turned into an elders’ village. Many youths of this village have migrated to
Kathmandu and overseas in search of employment opportunity. Now,the people of this
village are compelled to depend on the youths of the neighboring village to perform the
funeral rites of a deceased person.
Lone old man spends life in cave
Kantipur
Lothar February 14, 2015
Rup Singh Chepang, 75, became lonely after the death of his two sons and wife. Lone
Chepang lives in a cave at Yurti along the Bhandara-Malekhu road. When his daughter visits
him, then only he gets porridge to eat. He is in pitiable condition in Yurti cave.
Report prepared by GAROP: What older people say about
discrimination and human rights in older age
Available at:
http://www.rightsofolderpeople.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/02/In-Our-Own-Words-2015.pdf
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ELDER ABUSE
A total 9 elders faced abuse in February 2015 from which 5 died, 2 suffered from injuries and
the health statusof 2 were not reported. Most of the victims were male and the culprits were
their close relatives and their own sons.
S.N.
Name
Age
Sex
Address
Reason
Culprit
Form of
abuse
Status
Date
Source
1.
Padma
Maya
Magar
Fulmaya
Rai
84
F
Manthali
Theft
-
Financial
-
14
Kantipur
68
F
Damak
-
Son
Physical
D
25
Gorkhapatr
a
Jogo
Jokhang
Mandal
Bishnu
Prasad
Panthi
Devru
Mahato
70
M
Rajbiraj
Witchcra
ft
-
Physical
D
25
Annapurna
60
M
Palpa
Personal
Affair
Villager
Physical
D
1
Police
Report
65
M
Mahottari
Personal
Affair
Son
Physical
ND
10
Police
Report
Drupada
khatiwada
60
F
Rupandeh
i
Theft
-
Financial
-
14
Police
Report
7.
Badri
Kalwar
79
M
Bhairaha
wa
Personal
Affair
Neighbo
ur
Physical
D
18
Kantipur
8.
Nathuni
Tharu
60
F
Rupandeh
i
Personal
Affair
Son
Physical
D
27
Police
Report
9.
Govinda
khatiwada
60
M
Morang
-
Unknow
n
Physical
ND
28
Police
Report
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
D
NEGLECT
Unattended Death
Four unattended dead bodies of senior citizens were found in February 2015.
S.N.
Name
Age
Sex
Address
Place of death
Date
Source
1.
Hem Bdr.
Raksay
Surya Maden
Banuwa
Dhami
Koile Devi
Mandal
62
M
Dolkha
Dolkha
3
Police Report
60
71
M
M
Taplejung
Sindhuli
Taplejung
Sindhuli
6
10
Police Report
Police Report
60
F
Morang
Morang
14
Police Report
2.
3.
4.
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ELDERLY IN CRIME
The following table presents senior citizens found involve in unlawful activities in January
2015
S.N.
Name
Age
Sex
Address
Crime involved
Date
Source
1.
Kumar Singh
65
M
Solukhumbhu
Rape
11
Gorkhapatra
2.
Bir BahadurTamang
90
M
Rasuwa
Murder
16
3.
Shanti MayaTamang
80
F
Rasuwa
Murder
16
4.
Shanti MayaTamang
64
F
Sindupalchowk
Murder
15
Nepal
Samacharpatra
Nepal
Samacharpatra
Police Report
5.
BirBdr. Sunar
63
M
Dang
Murder
19
Police Report
6.
Dammar Kumari
Upadhaya
Masali Moktan
73
F
Kathmandu
Forgery
25
Police Report
60
F
Sindhupalchowk
Illegal
possession
25
Police Report
7.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
S.N.
EVENTS
DETAILS
TURYAK International Congress on
“Longevity” will be held in Istanbul
on March 13-14, 2015 at Wyndham
Grand IstanbulLevant.
1.
http://www.turyak.org/turyak2015/cong
ress-venue.html
The Physiological Society is going to
organize the conference Ageing and
Degeneration – A Physiological
perspective on 10th to 11th April
2015 on Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
2.
http://www.physoc.org/ageingtopic/agei
ng-and-degeneration-physiologicalperspective
3rd International Conference on
Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia is
going to be held on 31st August to
2nd September 2015 in Toronto,
Canada.http://alzheimersdementia.conf
3.
erenceseries.com/index.php
4.
Fifth International Conference
on Health, Wellness and
Society
Fifth International Conference on
Health, Wellness and Society is going
to be held on 3rd to 4th September
2015 on Madrid, Spain.
Universidad de Alcalá
http://healthandsociety.com/theconference
Madrid, Spain
5.
International Federation on Ageing
13th Global Conference is going to be
held on 21-23 June 2016 at the
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition
Centre. The program will primarily
focus on Disasters in an Ageing
World, reflecting on both natural and
man-made disasters.
http://ifa2016.org.au/
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AGEING NEPAL
House no. 340, RamchandraMarg, Kathmandu
Ph: +977-01-4485827
Email: ageingnep@gmail.com
Website: www.ageingnepal.org
Face book: https://www.facebook.com/AgeingNepalProudToBeOld
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgeingNepal
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