Questions on family in the family of UN (the twentieth anniversary of the International year of the family)

The aim of the article is to set out a short history of the activities of the organs and the organizations of the UN system (or UN Family) in the field of family since 1980s to present. Family has become the object of increasing attention in the United Nations since the early 1980s. The UN General Assembly guided by the resolve of the peoples of the United Nations to promote social progress and better standards of life proclaimed 1994 as the International Year of the Family with the theme: "Family: resources and responsibilities in a changing world". Officially the Year was launched on December 7, 1993 at the 48th session of the UN GA. The major activities of the Year were concentrated at the local, regional and national levels. 157 member States as well as non-state actors assisted by the United Nations and its system of organizations realized a number of programmes and projects in the frameworks of the preparation period to the Year and the Year itself with a view to create among governments, policy-makers and the public a greater awareness of the family as the natural and fundamental unit of society. National priorities established for the Year included employment of family members; health, adoption; childrens’ rights in the family and in society; democracy and tolerance, consumption practices, etc. The Year culminated in the Assembly General Sessions on 18 and 19 October 1994 held as an International Conference on Families. The report of the UN Secretary-General on the observance of the International Year of the Family contained a list of approaches which were used to address priority issues of family policies. As an outcome of the Year, policy discussion papers and recommendations for national Governments were elaborated in several countries. Structural features of the UN make it impossible to develop the common approach in the interpretation of the questions of family as well as a single line of action concerning family. Substantially, the UN is limited by the studying and discussing of existing issues, challenges and tasks. During the period after the Year of the Family two blocks of states have been formed in the UN. The first incorporates states which are maintaining the traditional form of family, the second includes states of the non-traditional approach to the status of family. Russian Federation retains influence on the decision-making in the field of family thanks to its adherence to principles and the high qualification of its diplomats. In 2014 the organs and organizations of the UN system celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family by a number of special events, including the session of the Human Rights Council on September 15, 2015 and the discussion of family issues within the framework of the UN General Assembly agenda. Key words: United Nations, family, UN General Assembly, Human Rights Council, International Year of the Family.

Keywords

Authors

References