The Ministry of Women and Social Welfare was established on September 22, 1995, building on the achievements and experiences gained from the "Production Loan Management Program for Rural Women", which was initiated in the fiscal year 1983/84 as part of the Women's Development Campaign Programs.

The Ministry aimed to empower various groups within society, both women and others, socially, economically, and politically, while strengthening their role in sustainable peace and development. To emphasize the importance of children, the ministry's name was changed to the "Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare" in 1999. In 2018, the ministry's name was further changed to the "Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens."

According to the Nepal Government (Work Division) Regulation, 2018, the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens is responsible for formulating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating policies, plans, and programs related to women, children, senior citizens, and social welfare. Additionally, the ministry conducts studies, research, and surveys in this domain. The ministry's responsibilities also extend to the protection of orphaned children, vulnerable women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, as well as the welfare of children and senior citizens and women's empowerment and skills development.

The ministry's purview also encompasses the National Women's Commission, the Social Welfare Council, social welfare centers, old age homes, and children's homes. It is responsible for liaison, coordination, and mobilization with national, international, and regional organizations in the field of women, children, and social welfare. It also monitors programs implemented by government and non-governmental organizations relating to women, children, and social welfare. Matters related to adoption, gender-based violence, etc., also fall under the ministry's responsibilities, as per the Nepal Government (Work Division) Regulation, 2018.

The ministry's mandate is guided by various policies, acts, laws, long-term and periodic plans, regional and international conventions to which Nepal is a party, and other international agreements. In accordance with this mandate, the ministry works to formulate time-appropriate policies for women, children, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and sexual and gender minorities, ensuring coordination, collaboration, and program implementation with a focus on awareness building and empowerment.

Ultimately, the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens was established to address the needs of diverse marginalized communities through timely interventions and work toward creating an equitable and prosperous society, based on the principles of mainstreaming, empowerment, and inclusion.