26 May 1983

Role of the family in the development process

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 33/48 of 14 December 1978 on world social development, 34/59 of 29 November 1979 on the implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development and 34/152 of 17 December 1979 and 37/54 of 3 December 1982 on the world social situation,

Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, 3362 (S-VII) of 16 September 1975 on development and international economic co-operation, and 35/56 of 5 December 1980, the annex to which contains the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

Having considered the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation,

Taking note of chapter II of the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation dealing with the family, in which is quoted article 4 of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development, where it is stated that the family as a basic unit of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members, particularly children and youth, should be assisted and protected so that it may fully assume its responsibilities within the community,

Recognizing that the institution of the family takes many forms and is undergoing important transformations in the process of development,

Concerned that the changes have an impact on the social fabric and the solidarity network, and that ways and means, therefore, need to be evolved to analyse those changes and take them into consideration in social policies,

Taking into account article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which deals with the rights and responsibilities of women and men in marriage and family matters,

Stressing the fact that the relevant organs, organizations and bodies within the United Nations system should give due attention to the role of the family in the development process,

1. Invites Member States to expand their efforts at the national and community levels to consider, examine, identify and evaluate the needs of families and the ways in which those needs may be more effectively met;

2. Calls upon Member States to promote economic and social progress through the formulation and implementation of measures addressed to the welfare of the family as a whole, in order to achieve goals and objectives within the framework of national priorities and interests and the development process;

3. Further requests the Secretary-General to enhance awareness among decision makers and the public of the problems and needs of the family, as well as effective ways of meeting those needs;

4. Urges the Secretary-General to continue studies and field-oriented activities, within the limits of available resources, aimed at enhancing the role of the family in development;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to study the data available in the reports and action plans developed in the course of recent United Nations activities such as the International Year of the Child and the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, as well as the World Assembly on Aging, the International Year of Disabled Persons and others, taking into account the need to strengthen policies for the welfare of the entire society;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to study further the impact of development on the family as a fundamental unit of society and to submit a progress report to the Council at its first regular session of 1985, through the Commission for Social Development at its twenty-ninth session, in consultation with the Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, containing an analysis of policies influencing the role and nature of the family and its members in the context of development and, in particular, an examination of the changing forms and roles of families.