2014 will be the International Year of the Family
DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor was the first to adhere on the 6th of December to the International Federation for Family Development’s (IFED) declaration on the year 2014.
The goal of the document is to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the UN’s International day of Families initiative. The declaration is a product of a long series of preparatory works. On the 5th of June in Brussels at a special seminar the representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission and of the OECD defined the major directions of policies supporting families. Following this, 26 specialists from 15 countries debated the upcoming events of the anniversary and presented experiences from different countries.
IFED is an international network of NGO’s dedicated to family life and marriage and has UN observer status. Its declaration is based on the 16th article of the Declaration of Human Rights and states the right to establish a family and stresses its importance as a pillar of society. The upbringing, protection and socialization of children, as well as the aid provided to its members are primarily the family’s responsibility.
The document urges member states to promote and strengthen family-friendly approaches on all decision-making levels, to acknowledge social and economic factors in family life, to support policies that help families in providing sustainable, affordable and good quality conditions of life while recognizing the family’s role in social cohesion and economic growth. The signatories to the declaration ask member states to point out and emphasize the importance of balancing work and family life in the economy and society and to establish a system of parental holidays throughout the life of a family and in transition periods that are widespread, well funded and flexible. The document urges for continuous dialogue and partnership between decision makers and interested parties.
“In these times of crisis it is our crucial goal that the member states not only acknowledge the families’ right to support, but implement measures to help single parents and small and large families on the labor market. We need to stop the transmission of poverty between generations, child poverty and malnutrition. In order to provide everybody with a dignified life, we need to support the welfare of families”, said Csaba Sógor.
IFED is an international network of NGO’s dedicated to family life and marriage and has UN observer status. Its declaration is based on the 16th article of the Declaration of Human Rights and states the right to establish a family and stresses its importance as a pillar of society. The upbringing, protection and socialization of children, as well as the aid provided to its members are primarily the family’s responsibility.
The document urges member states to promote and strengthen family-friendly approaches on all decision-making levels, to acknowledge social and economic factors in family life, to support policies that help families in providing sustainable, affordable and good quality conditions of life while recognizing the family’s role in social cohesion and economic growth. The signatories to the declaration ask member states to point out and emphasize the importance of balancing work and family life in the economy and society and to establish a system of parental holidays throughout the life of a family and in transition periods that are widespread, well funded and flexible. The document urges for continuous dialogue and partnership between decision makers and interested parties.
“In these times of crisis it is our crucial goal that the member states not only acknowledge the families’ right to support, but implement measures to help single parents and small and large families on the labor market. We need to stop the transmission of poverty between generations, child poverty and malnutrition. In order to provide everybody with a dignified life, we need to support the welfare of families”, said Csaba Sógor.
