It takes a village to raise a child.
African proverb
Convention No. 156 applies to men and women workers whose responsibilities caring for and supporting their dependent children and/or other members of their immediate family may restrict their possibilities of preparing for, entering, participating in or advancing in economic activity.
Many of the problems facing all workers are aggravated in the case of workers who must care family members, and there is a need to improve the conditions of the latter both by measures responding to their special needs and by measures designed to improve the conditions of workers in general. This Convention was adopted in recognition of the fact that earlier Conventions did not expressly cover distinctions made on the basis of family responsibilities, and that the problems of workers who must care for family members affect society at large and should be taken into account in national policies.
Convention No. 156 has been ratified by 43 countries to date.
International Day of Families, 15 May
Although families all over the world have transformed greatly over the past 50 years in terms of their structure (household size, single parenthood, divorce rates and delayed marriage, for example) and as a result of global trends and demographic changes (such as migration and increased life expectancy), the United Nations still recognizes the family as the basic unit of society. The International Day of Families was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1993 and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The purpose of this day is to provide an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them. This observance has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national and statutory family day holidays in countries such as Canada, Australia, South Africa and Vietnam. Activities often include workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes.
The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The theme for 2013 is “Advancing social integration and intergenerational solidarity”.
