The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Families is annually observed across the globe on 15th May to create awareness about the issues related to the family and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.
The day offers a platform to highlight the role of the family in the development process.
The theme of International Day of Families 2022 is “Families and Urbanization”.
The 2022 theme aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable, family-friendly urban policies.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution 44/82 on 9th December 1989 and proclaimed the year 1994 as the “International Year of the Family”.
ii.In 1993, UNGA adopted the resolution A/RES/47/237 titled “International year of the Family” and decided to devote one of its plenary meetings at the 48th session in early December 1993 to launch the International Year of the Family.
iii.The resolution also decided that beginning in 1994, 15th May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families.
Families and Urbanization:
i.Urbanization is one of the most important megatrends shaping our world and the life and well-being of families worldwide.
ii.Sustainable urbanization is related to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) like SDG-1: Poverty eradication; SDG-3: Good health and well-being; SDG-11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable; and SDG-10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
30th anniversary of International Year of the Family – 2024:
i.The preparation of the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, 2024 (IYF+30), centring on megatrends and their impact on families, focus on selected megatrends, including technological change, migration, urbanization, demographic and climate change.
ii.This aims to facilitate the analysis of the impacts of these trends on family life and to recommend responsive family-oriented policies to harness the positive aspects of those trends and counteract their negative facets.
Events:
i.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) organised a panel discussion which included the presentations from academics, civil society and urban authorities.
ii.The background paper “Migration, Urbanization, and the Family Dimension” was also launched during the event.
