The International Day of Families is being observed with the theme `Ensuring work family balance’ across the globe including Pakistan to bring out the significance of families as fundamental unit of humanity.
A wide range of events were organised in this regard, which include: workshops, seminars, exhibitions, discussions to raise awareness of the theme, policy meeting for public officials and the launch of campaigns for public policies to strengthen and support family units.
This day is observed on May 15 every year and proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 with a resolution to reflects the importance of the international community attaches to families.
Secretary-General, UN, Ban Ki Moon while giving a message on the International Day of Families, highlighted the need for work-family balance, aiming to help workers everywhere provide for their families financially and emotionally, while also contributing to the socio-economic development of their societies. “On this International Day of Families, let us renew our pledge to promote work-family balance for the benefit of families and society at large, he said.”
Jawad Ali, a university student while talking to APP here on Tuesday said, “We are the blessed people belong to a region, where family bonds are very strong, as our culture, traditions, customs and most prior our religion highlights the importance of family and give us opportunity to strengthen them.
Nasreen Qureshi, a professor of social sciences said, “This day provides a chance to government, organisations and individuals to encourage knowledge of the troubles, strengths and issues relating to families.
There is dire need to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families and finding a solution for its improvement, she stated.
Millions of people around the world lack decent working conditions and the social support to care for their families, while a number of countries offer generous leave provisions for mothers and fathers, however paternity leave provisions are still rare in the majority of developing countries, she added.