In our time, the family remains the most important environment for the preservation and intergenerational transmission of cultural values and national traditions; it morally and materially supports children, the elderly, and disabled persons. The observance of Family Day serves to enhance its status and promote a better understanding of its pressing issues and needs.
In our time, the family remains the most important environment for the preservation and intergenerational transmission of cultural values and national traditions; it morally and materially supports children, the elderly, and disabled persons. The observance of Family Day serves to enhance its status and promote a better understanding of its pressing issues and needs.
Family Day is widely celebrated in our republic as well: charity evenings are held for foster families with children, meetings of married couples with extensive family life experience, and festive events for children from large and low-income families.
Social protection of the family, improvement of its position in society, and the protection of motherhood and childhood are among the central priorities of the country's state social policy. A legislative framework for the implementation of state policy towards children has been established in Belarus, and a network of social service institutions for families and children has been created. The Presidential Program "Children of Belarus" is being successfully implemented in the republic, which provides for measures aimed at improving the living standards and well-being of children and families, as well as improving the conditions for their upbringing. Significant attention is paid to issues of demographic security in the country.
Despite the transformations in marital and family relations, the ties between parents and children remain the basis of the family institution. The reproductive and medico-social functions are becoming the most important functions of the family in modern conditions. An assessment of the situation in the Republic of Belarus shows that young families are created in the absolute majority under conditions of initial ill-health of the spouses, which cannot provide a child with maximum health potential. The family and society do not form an adequate model of masculinity and do not guarantee the conditions necessary for the normal socialization of a girl and her psychological readiness for marital and family relations. Both of these manifest in risky behaviour towards health and demographically unfavourable behaviour of young people. Thus, the most important functions are not fulfilled by the family, and there is observed
an unfavorable forecast regarding the success of their implementation by newly formed young families. The cycle between social and psychophysical ill-health closes.
International Day of Families is celebrated annually on May 15. Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/237 in 1993, this Day reflects the special attention of the world community to family issues. Its observance provides an opportunity to raise awareness on family-related issues and deepen knowledge of socio-economic and demographic processes affecting the situation of families.
In 2007, in its resolution 62/129, the General Assembly noted that family-related provisions of the final documents of major UN conferences and summits held in the 1990s and related follow-up activities continue to serve as directive guidance in choosing ways to strengthen family-oriented components of strategies and programs.
The proclamation of the International Day of Families has stimulated a number of promotional activities, including national family days. In many countries, the observance of such days has provided an opportunity to identify various areas of interest and significance for families. These include thematic workshops and conferences, radio and television programs, newspaper publications, and cultural programs.