Families in development International Day of Families

Ranjan K Baruah

(The writer can be reached at bkranjan@gmail.com)

Family is important as it is the first association for any individual. We learn basics from our family. A safe and strong family means safety for us in future. In recent years there are changes in families around the world. Families around the world are changing, many becoming smaller, as the number of single-parent households grows. Currently, 65% of all families are made up of either couples living with children of any age, or couples living with both children and extended family members, such as grandparents. The diminishing number of extended families and the increasing number of single-parent families put into sharp focus the issue of social protection.

Despite a rapid decline in working poverty rates over the past decades, 8 per cent of employed workers and their families worldwide still live in extreme poverty, with only 45 per cent of the world's population effectively covered by at least one social protection cash benefit. Homeless is a serious problem in many parts of the world though things have changed for good in last decades.

Family homelessness has been consistently above 20 per cent of the total homeless population in some European countries. Similar trends can be observed in the United States of America, where 33 per cent of the homeless population is made up of families with children, and in Canada, where 37 per cent of households have difficulties maintaining housing and even more are relying on emergency accommodation.

To prevent family homelessness, some governments offer social protection and public housing to vulnerable families. Good practices in this area include the offer of direct financial assistance to all qualified renters in the Netherlands, a voucher system in the United States and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana housing scheme in India, which provides affordable housing to the urban poor. Many other countries have other facilities or provisions for housing for families.

During the 1980's, the United Nations began focusing attention on issues related to the family. In 1983, based on the recommendations of the Economic and Social Council, the Commission for Social Development in its resolution on the Role of the family in the development process (1983/23) requested the Secretary-General to enhance awareness among decision makers and the public of the problems and needs of the family, as well as of effective ways of meeting those needs.

In its resolution 44/82 of 9 December 1989, The General Assembly proclaimed The International Year of the Family. In 1993, the General Assembly decided in a resolution (A/RES/47/237) that 15 May of every year should be observed as The International Day of Families. This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

This is the time when the entire world is concerned about COVID 19. As the world struggles to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, there is an existent opportunity to rethink and transform the way our economies and societies function to foster greater equality for all. We should not forget that families are the first place which can contribute towards sustainable change. We must make sure that all families are safe and homes are available for all families. At the time of lock down let us give more time to our family and think positive and find innovation for effective lifestyle which would contribute towards positive growth for all of us.

(With direct input from UN publication) 

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