15/05/2025
The International Day of Families 2025
The International Day of Families was established in 1993 by the United Nations (UN), and is being commemorated annually on 15 May, in order to appreciate and acknowledge the role of families in society, and also to bring attention to the importance of family unity wherein members of the family work together to improve family life. The UN also uses this day as a way to recognise that family structures have undergone many changes due to economic, social and demographic factors, and it raises matters that may affect families.
What is a family, and why is it important?
A society is made up of families, and the family is an important, strong, and natural unit of society, which plays a critical role of nurturing and caring for individual family members, from children, to youth, men, women, people living with disabilities and the older generation. Families bear the primary responsibility for the development, education and socialization of children. Family is the most important influence in a childโs life. From their first moments of life, children depend on parents and family for their safety and to meet their needs. Parents and families form the childโs first relationship. They provide material and non-material care and support to their members and are a backbone of intergenerational solidarity and social cohesion. An ideal family is a great example of the whole society. Therefore each family is the major key to society. This is why family is important in our lives.
Family values
Family values are a set of unwritten rules and codes that help to form our perception, vision, and many things that we face in our daily lives. A family is the first school in which a child acquires the basic values of life. He/she learns good values and morals in the family. Ethics and values learned in the family become our guiding power. They make our character. They form the foundation of our thinking. Strong family values can provide greater clarity in decision-making regarding our lives and lead a relatively easy and balanced life.
Families under threat
Families all over the world have been undergoing significant changes during the last few decades. Among these changes are an increased instance of divorce and remarriage after divorce. Other changes to families include increases in teenage pregnancies, female- and child-headed households and non-residential fatherhood. In South Africa, democracy has brought many opportunities for all families, to enjoy political, social and economic prosperity, irrespective of race, gender and class. However, many families are still experiencing increasing difficulty in fulfilling their role of fully enhancing social development and contributing to society. This is mainly due to poverty, unemployment, poor health conditions, conflict in the family, crime and other social ills that result in the further disintegration of family life. This break-down of family units forms part of a vicious cycle, as it contribute to the moral and social decay in communities and the society as a whole.
Where to seek help when families facing threats
In SA, families that are facing any threats within the family can seek help through different government as well as non-government organisations, which includes social services and help lines, as well as legal ways such as the Childrenโs Court. Important resources include: Department of Social Development (DSD), Child Welfare (CWSA), Childline SA, Crime Stop and TEARS etc.
These resources can assist you in navigating the difficulties of supporting your family and yourself, as you undergo significant changes in family. Whether itโs adjusting to change, coping with stress, or managing mental health challenges, having access to the right support and information can be valuable during trying times.
Family should be our priority, therefore, it is high time that family values are protected and treated as a tool to eliminate exploitation, deprivation, violence and crime, inequality, as well as hatred in our society.
Anti-GBV Movement SU
Moravian Cape Town South District Youth
Glocal Unity Women
Domestic Violence Awareness
Jeremy Wyngaard
Judy-Rose Cyster
