Kathmandu. The Social Security Ordinance issued by President Vidyadevi Bhandari has paved the way for the inclusion of unmarried women in the government's social security program. The ordinance, issued by President Bhandari on December 3, also includes the issue of providing social security allowance by the government to single women who have not divorced and remarried, are living in judicial separation or have not reached the age of 40.

Among widows, or single women who have not remarried, are living in judicial separation, or have not reached the age of 40, have a lower income than specified by the Government of Nepal, published in the Nepal Gazette, and have no member of the foster care family. The ordinance states that single women who are financially deprived or have not been raised by such members will be entitled to social security allowance as prescribed by the Government of Nepal.

Earlier, such provision was somewhat restricted in the Social Security Act issued in 2075 BS. In the original act, it was stated that a woman who has been divorced, remarried, widowed, judicially separated and unmarried will be entitled to a single woman allowance. The basic act states that women who do not have a source of livelihood, whose income is lower than specified by the Government of Nepal and who are unable to work and have not reached the age of 60 will also get such facility. Similarly, from now on, people with complete disability or severe disability identity card will also get social security allowance.