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Preview: The 10th aniversary of the IYF 2004
Proclamation of the Tenth Anniversary of the
International Year of the Family
The tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family constitutes an
important opportunity to give a new impetus to the follow- up of the Year. In its
resolution 54/124, the General Assembly reaffirmed the importance of the follow-up to
the Year and of the observance of its tenth anniversary.
The objectives of the tenth anniversary of the Year would be to:
(a) Increase awareness of family issues among Governments as well as in the
private sector;
(b) Strengthen the capacity of national institutions to formulate, implement and
monitor policies in respect of families;
(c) Stimulate efforts to respond to problems affecting, and affected by, the
situation of families;
(d) Undertake at all levels reviews and assessments of the situation and needs of
families, identifying specific issues and problems;
(e) Enhance the effectiveness of local, national and regional efforts to carry out
specific programmes concerning families, generate new activities and
strengthen existing ones;
(f) Improve collaboration among national and international non-governmental
organizations in support of families.
The tenth anniversary of the Year will be launched in December 2003. The
observance of the tenth anniversary during 2004 will culminate in the holding of one
plenary session of the Assembly on the topic of families. It will be devoted to a
reaffirmation of commitments made and the identification of further actions, including
encouraging the incorporation of effective family policies and programmes into national
development strategies; and encouraging regional institutes to promote and undertake
research and development of policies related to family issues.
Objectives of the Follow-up to IYF
In its resolution 52/81 of 12 December 1997, the Assembly recognized that the
basic objective of the Follow up to the International Year of the Family should be
strengthened and support families in performing their societal and developmental
functions and to build upon their strengths, in particular at the national and local levels.
Anniversary of the International Year of the Family constitutes an important opportunity
to give a new impetus to the follow- up of the Year. In its resolution 54/124, the General
Assembly reaffirmed the importance of the follow-up to the Year and of the observance
of its tenth anniversary.
The objectives of the tenth anniversary of the Year would be to:
(a) Increase awareness of family issues among Governments as well as in the
private sector;
(b) Strengthen the capacity of national institutions to formulate, implement and
monitor policies in respect of families;
(c) Stimulate efforts to respond to problems affecting, and affected by, the
situation of families;
(d) Undertake at all levels reviews and assessments of the situation and needs of
families, identifying specific issues and problems;
(e) Enhance the effectiveness of local, national and regional efforts to carryout
specific programmes concerning families, generate new activities and
strengthen existing ones;
(f) Improve collaboration among national and international non-governmental
organizations in support of families.
General Guidelines
Activities for the tenth anniversary are to be carried out in three phases: (a) the
preparatory phase (2002-2003) to set up and mobilize organizational structures, identify
priority issues and focus on measures and activities to prepare for the observance; (b) the
observance phase (2004), when activities will take place and initiatives planned by
Governments will be undertaken to observe the anniversary; and (c) the follow-up phase,
during which evaluation of progress made and obstacles encountered will be undertaken
at all levels to ensure the successful implementation of International Year of the Family
objectives, which is a continuous process.
Activities for the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, prior
to and during 2004, should be undertaken at all levels: national, regional and global. The
primary focus will be on activities at the national and local levels. The actual year of
observance will be 2004 and a variety of activities will be planned for the occasion.
Suggestions for NGOs and Civil Societies
(1) The NGO Sector could encourage and assist in the selection of their objectives
and in the preparation of a national-wide programme to be implemented by 2004.
(2) A joint strategy should involve encouragement to Governments and NGOs to set
up mechanisms to stimulate, plan and coordinate activities by the appropriate
governmental and non-governmental bodies and agencies.
(3) All NGOs could encourage their organizations to undertake, as part of their
activities for 2004, a comprehensive review of policies concerning families, and
of services for families.
(4) NGOs and the Programme on the Family could encourage broad and extensive
discussions at meetings of relevant inter-governmental bodies and NGO structures
and bodies on the Tenth Anniversary.
(5) Joint collaboration could concentrate on various aspects of the 5 areas of focus
identified by the Programme on the Family cited above.
(6) NGOs Programme on the Family collaboration is also possible in three
particular arena: (a) a review and appraisal of progress achieved and obstacles
encountered in the implementation of IYF objectives; (b) the organization of
seminars on IYF topics to increase in-depth knowledge and information about
family policy development and megatrends assessments at the national, regional
and global, etc.; and (c) exchange of information and advocacy.
United Nations Family Programme
As the lead entity for the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the
Family, the Department will stimulate and coordinate activities for the preparation for
and observance of the anniversary. To that end, activities will be undertaken on the
following five main substantive themes: approaches to family policy development;
technology and its impact on the family; parental roles and intra- familial support systems;
statistics and indicators for family well-being; and HIV/AIDS and its impact on families.
The Department will support the work of the General Assembly, the Economic
and Social Council and the Commission for Social Development on the tenth anniversary
of the Year. Reports and results of expert group meetings will assist the
intergovernmental bodies in monitoring the progress achieved in the preparations for the
tenth anniversary and provide relevant analysis and information to support the debate on
relevant family policy issues.
The Department will undertake a broad campaign to promote the observance of
the tenth anniversary at all levels. This will include activities such as the promotion of the
annual observance of the International Day of Families inter alia to encourage the active
celebration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family at the national
and local levels; advocacy about the importance of family issues in social development
planning; and awareness-raising on the pivotal role of families and on their specific
needs.
The Department will also undertake studies to increase the knowledge and
information about relevant trends in the area of families. The studies will seek to
enhance the capacity of Governments for formulating, implementing and evaluating
family-related policies and programmes.
The United Nations has completed studies on family issues. A dtabase on family
policy has been created, the web site of the Family Unit is periodically updated to
facilitate access to information about the work of the United Nations in the arena of
families and a directory of national mechanisms on the family will be prepared.
In order to assist Governments in addressing national priorities and emphasizing
the family perspective in development planning, the United Nations will strengthen and
support families in performing their societal and developmental functions, in particular at
the national and local levels, through the United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities.
This will be accomplished by promoting family-specific pilot activities and programmes
and supporting policy development in least developed and developingg countries and
countries with economies in transition.
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