An initiative of International Federation for Family Development co-sponsored by CARE for Europe Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development European Christian Political Foundation European Federation for Services to Individuals European Federation of Parents and Carers at Home European Forum of Muslim Women European Large Families Confederation European local inclusion and social action network (ELISAN) Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe Forum Européen des Femmes Home Renaissance Foundation Make Mothers Matter International New Women for Europe World Family Organization World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations World Youth Alliance and the Veneto Region
The following 114 national organizations have also joined the above Declaration (as of 20th May 2013):
Akcja Humanitarna ‘Zycie’ (Poland) Asbl Femme/Homme & Foyer (Belgium) Asociación Civil La Perla (Venezuela) Asociación de Familias Numerosas de Almería (Spain) Asociación Familias Formando Familias (Argentina) Asociación Mundial para la Familia y la Educación (Uruguay) Asociación para el Desarrollo Educativo y Cultural (Costa Rica) Aspof - Asociación para la orientación familiar (Costa Rica) Assoc. Camerounaise pour le Developpement de la Famille (Cameroon) Association pour la Famille (Congo) BeFamily (Portugal) Biofides (Belgium) Building Blocs for Success (Kosovo) Caribbean Institute for Family Development (Trinidad Tobago) Cenofa - Centro de Orientaçao Familiar (Portugal) Center Women and Modern World (Azerbaijan) Centrum Analiz Fundacji Republikanskiej (Poland) CONCAPA (Spain) Corporación de Desarrollo Educativo y Familiar (Puerto Rico) Családképzö Fórum Egyesület (Hungary) Educhild (Philippines) Cúram (Ireland) Europejska Fundacja Analiz Prawnych (Poland) Familias Formando Familias (Argentina) Familias Formando Familias (Bolivia) Familias para Familias (Venezuela) Familion.pl (Poland) Famille & Education Suisse Romande (Switzerland) Famille et Education (Ivory Coast) Family Development Foundation (United Kingdom) Family Enrichment Canada Family Enrichment Uganda (Uganda) Family Enrichment USA (United States) Family First Foundation (China - Hong-Kong) Famof - Familias que ayudan a otras Familias (Colombia) FAPAE/EIGEF (Spain) Farmilia - Instituto de Ciencias del Matrimonio (Peru) FEA - Family Education Australia (Australia) FEN - Family Enrichment Netherlands (Netherland) FERT (Spain) FES - Family Enrichment Society (Singapur) First Lady’s Save our Youths Campaign (Nigeria) Footprints Foundation (USA) Foro Español de la Familia (Spain) Fórum krestanských inštitúcií (Slovakia) Fundación Excelencia Educativa (Panama) Fundación Hacer Familia (Chile) Fundación ICEF (El Salvador) Fundación Madrina (Spain) Fundación Masfamilia (Spain) Fundación para la Familia (Honduras) Fundacja ‘EASSE Polska’ (Poland) Fundacja ‘Mama i Tata’ (Poland) Fundacja ‘Orszak Trzech Króli’ (Poland) Fundacja ‘Przyszlosc’ (Poland) Fundacja ‘Rodzina PRO’ (Poland) Gesellschaft Für Familienorientierung (Austria) Gminny Osrodek Pomocy Spolecznej - Zelazkow (Poland) Grupo Educativo COAS (Spain) Haro (Sweden) Hazte Oír (Spain) Hungarian Women’s Alliance (Hungary) IDF - Instituut Van De Familie / Institut de la Famille Asbl (Belgium) IEB - Institut Für Elternbildung (Germany) Institut de Politique Familiale (France) Instituto Brasileiro da Família (Brazil) Instituto Internacional de Estudios sobre la Familia (Spain) Instituto de Matrimonio y Familia (Ecuador) Instituto de Política Familiar (Spain) Instytut Edukacji I Rodziny (Poland) Instytut Pracy i Spraw Socjalnych (Poland) IPEF - Institut pour l’éducation dans la famille (France) Jafda - Japan Family Development Association (Japan) Klub mnohodetných rodín (Slovakia) Kujawsko - Pomorskie Towarzystwo Kulturalno - Oswiatowe (Poland) LAR (Mexico) Leader 100 (Poland) Misja Chrzescijanska Rodzina (Poland) Mothers At Home Matter (United Kingdom) Movimento Italiano Casalingo National Association of Large Families (Hungary) Nigerian Association for Family Development Obiteljsko Obogacivanje (Croacia) Observadores Ciudadanos de la Familia A. C. (Mexico) Osrodek Informacji ONZ w Warszawie (Poland) Lygiu galimybiu pletros cetras (Lithuania) Pan-Hellenic Union of Association Families with 3C (Greece) Pasumai Thaayagam Foundation (India) Profamilia (Czech Republic) Profesionales por la ética (Spain) Program for Family Development (Kenya) Raíces - Centro de Orientación Familiar (Peru) Pro-Vita Orthodox Organizations Federation (Romania) Rural Reconstruction Foundation (Bangla Desh) Saif (South Africa) Seimu Universitetas (Lithuania) Service and Research Institute on Family and Children (India) Sistema Famiglia: Conf. Perm. dei Centri di Orientamento Familiare (Italy) Stowarzyszenie - Rzecznik Praw Rodziców (Poland) Stowarzyszenie Promocji Zdrowia I Profilaktyki ‘HOPP’ (Poland) Stowarzyszenie Rodzin Wielodzietnych (Poland) Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea Uczniowski Klub Sportowy ‘Zagle’ (Poland) Universal Peace Federation Kigali (Rwanda) Voice of the Family in Africa (Kenya) Voz Pública A. C. (Mexico) Wardakowie.pl (Poland) Wolontariat Polska - Fundacja (Poland) Women’s Association of Romania Women’s Board (Nigeria) Women’s UN Report Program & Network (USA) World Organization of Prenatal Education Associations Zdruzenie Pre Rozvoj Rodiny (Slovakia) Zwiazek Duzych Rodzin ‘3+’ (Poland)
We propose this Declaration of the Civil Society in which the basic contents of UN resolutions about the International Year of the Family are included, as well as the main recommendations of different Expert Group Meetings, particularly the European one organized in Brussels. We aim to enroll as many politicians, academics and representatives of NGOs in every country as we can, so that we can present it together with the rest of international organizations in the Commission for Social Development to be celebrated in February 2014. We also hope that its contents can become a part for the contents of a resolution by the UN General Assembly on the occasion of this anniversary.
The representatives of the civil society organizations, academics and policy makers named below,
Acknowledging the right to found a family, as described by the art. 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Recognizing that, as basic and essential building blocks of societies, families have a crucial role in social development, bear the primary responsibility for the nurturing, protection, education and socialization of children, as well as instilling values of citizenship and belonging in the society, and provide material and non-material care and support to its members, from children to older persons or those suffering from illness, sheltering them from hardship to the maximum possible extent, [1]
Recalling that this social protection function performed by families is especially important in times of increased uncertainty and vulnerability, when families find it more and more difficult to fulfil these multiple roles and tackle all responsibilities entrusted to them, [2]
Emphasizing that family-focused policies have proven both valuable and efficient in many areas of social development, and that the very achievement of Millennium Development Goals depends on how well families are empowered to contribute to it, [3]
Expressing the will to work closely with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in a coordinated manner on family-related issues, including the preparations for the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family. [4]
1. Welcome the call made by United Nations to celebrate the forthcoming twentieth anniversary, in 2014, of the International Year of the Family, noting the opportunity it provides to revisit family-oriented policies as part of overall development efforts, [5] supporting its objective to aim at responding to challenges faced by families and continuing to guide national efforts that benefit families worldwide [6] and to integrate a family perspective [7] by introducing a family impact report or assessment as a standing and compulsory part of policymaking;
2. Urge Member States to enhance and strengthen family mainstreaming in policy making at all levels, considering the impacts of socio-economic policies on families; to develop, promote and implement family-friendly policies aimed at providing sustainable, affordable and quality living conditions for families; and to empower families and recognize their role in social cohesion and economic development; [8]
3. Invite Member States to recognize the right of families to sufficient resources and social assistance and the right to live in a manner compatible with human dignity, recalling that this is a common vital issue for single-parent, large and immigrant families; to develop, promote and implement policies aimed at ending child poverty through the eradication of family poverty, and encourage social, economic and educational policies to prevent intergenerational transmission of poverty; and to promote the provision of integrated services for families and family-friendly taxation policies and practices, including reduced taxes on goods and services for early childhood products and services; [9]
4. Request Member States to recognize and communicate the value of balancing family and work in the economy and in society; to develop, provide and communicate comprehensive well-resourced and flexible parental leave entitlements, to promote skill development and learning systems throughout the life course of the family and in periods of transition, to facilitate parents’ re-entering the labor market, and to enhance dialogue and partnerships between social policy makers and relevant stakeholders, including families, family associations, business sector, trade unions and employers to develop and improve family-friendly policies and practices in the workplace; [10]
5. Encourage Member States to facilitate intergenerational solidarity, quality couple and family relationships, parenting programmes; high-quality childcare and other ancillary services which support families; promote and develop active measures to support the psychological well-being of children and youth with sensitivity to family situations; prevent violence, addictions and juvenile delinquency; and promote school to work transitions and young adults’ economic security to facilitate family formation and stability, particularly among those with insecure socio-economic resources; as well as to promote and develop public policies concerning the support to the elder members of the family, especially in situations of particular need such as cases of Alzheimer or similar diseases.
[1] Cfr. Report of the Secretary-General on the Follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and beyond, 29 November 2010, A/66/62-E/2011/4, n. 3. Cfr. Resolution on Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, 28 November 2012, A/C.3/67/L.12/Rev.1. [2] Ibidem, n. 4. [3] Ibidem, n. 10. [4] Cfr. ECOSOC Resolution on the Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, 30 August 2012, E/RES/2012/10. [5] Cfr. Report of the Secretary-General on the Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2014, 11 November 2011, A/67/61-E/2012/3, n. 57. [6] Ibidem, n. 4. [7] Cfr. Resolution on Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, 28 November 2012, A/C.3/67/L.12/Rev.1., n. 1. [8] Cfr. European Expert Group Meeting ‘Confronting family poverty and social exclusion; ensuring work-family balance; advancing social integration and intergenerational solidarity in Europe’ (Brussels, 6 - 8 June 2012), Recommendations for relevant stakeholders. [9] Ibidem. [10] Ibidem.
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