Social Security of Senior Citizens: Analysis of Manifesto of Local Election 2022 of Political Parties in Nepal

Abstract

The manifesto is a guidebook that informs voters about a political party's commitments. It helps voters to make a rational voting decision. It is a party’s commitment towards the electorate about their vision, plans and governance policies. Although read by only a small fraction of population, manifestos form a major launching point for any election. The study is a comparative analysis of the local election 2022 manifestos of different political parties about the social security of the elderly population. This article attempts to look at how political parties committed towards resolving the issues related to senior citizens in respect to healthcare, financial security, transportation, old age homes, and elder abuse. It tries to answer how far the policy for the elderly becomes of interest for the government, and whether the political parties are luring people’s vote or for other purposes. Further, the study tries to demonstrate why senior citizens are brought into election campaigns and whether they realize the benefits as committed in the Party’s manifestos. The study found that political parties made their manifesto attractive to win the heart of the elderly. They had made big promises without revising the past manifestos and their effectiveness. Although elderly people were happy with the current government social security programs, majority of them did not recognize any tangible benefits from the commitments made in the election manifestos.