2021 Theme: Families and New Technologies
“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.”[1]
“V. … [United Nations] Member States are encouraged to consider the following recommendations:
(a) Continue their efforts towards the implementation of the objectives of the International Year of the Family and its follow-up processes as conducive to the realization of the 2030 Agenda;
(b) Invest in family-oriented policies targeting poverty to prevent the intergenerational transfer of poverty;
(c) Invest in social protection policies and programmes, promote gendersensitive social protection measures and recognize the role of families as social protection providers;
(d) Invest in a variety of work-family balance policies focused, inter alia, on expanding childcare services and parental leaves, including paternity leaves;
(e) Ensure that family-oriented strategies promote gender equality and the equal sharing of household responsibilities between men and women and recognize the burden of unpaid work;
(f) Enhance efforts to ensure equal pay for equal work;
(g) Safeguard legal identity and birth registration for all newborns to ensure their full participation in society and access to benefits, including social protection;
(h) Promote investments in accessible and affordable infrastructure, including housing and transportation, to benefit families and prevent family homelessness;
(i) Address the causes of family homelessness, including poverty, domestic violence and the lack of affordable housing, and expand efforts to provide adequate and affordable housing with support services for families.”[2]
[1] United Nations. (n.d.). International Day of Families 15 May. Retrieved May 16, 2021, from https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-of-families
[2] United Nations. (2019, November). Implementation of the objectives of the International Year of the Family and its follow-up processes (A/75/61-E/2020/4). United Nations Economic and Social Council. https://undocs.org/A/75/61%E2%80%93E/2020/4