The Commission on Social Development concluded its annual session by adopting a resolution observing the International Year of the Family in 2014 that highlights the importance of the family for social development.

The flag of the UN Commission on Social Development.
The flag of the UN Commission on Social Development.
The resolution, sponsored by Qatar, invites UN member states and entities to “concerted actions to strengthen family-centered policies and programs as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development.”

It also recognizes the family “has the primary responsibility for the nurturing and protection of children and that children, for the full and harmonious development of their personality, should grow up in a family environment and in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.”

Not all UN member states were happy with the resolution. In December, the European Union (EU) and the United States tried to qualify the word “family” with the expression “various forms of the family exist” in a resolution of the General Assembly on observing the International Year of the Family. The Group of 77 and China, the 126 strong voting bloc of the developing world, rejected the new language as unnecessary. Because the General Assembly rejected it, the EU and the United States did not propose that language again but they repeated their discontent during negotiations on last week’s resolution.

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