Welcome to the United Nations
On May 15 2018 the International Day of Families, the United Nations will celebrate families and inclusive societies, highlighting the role of families and family policies in advancing Sustainable Development. The approaches to families policies for inclusive societies vary around the world. The observance is to raise awareness of the role of families and family policies in achieving more inclusive societies from regional perspectives.
On this occasion, COFACE Families Europe is celebrating its 60th anniversary looking back at the achievements of family organisations in Europe, and starting from there to build a sustainable future for all families.
Born in 1958, COFACE is a separate arm of the International Union of Family Organizations, following the creation of the European Economic Community, as 'the Family Consumption Committee' and piece by piece. COFACE members mainstreamed the family perspective beyond consumer policy, namely in the social, education, and disability fields.
Today, COFACE Families Europe is an open and pluralistic network of national/regional organizations representing families in their diversity, striving to build a 'better society for all families' driven by solidarity, non-discrimination and equal opportunities.
These values guide actions at EU level to support the implementation of key agendas such as the European Pillar of Social Rights, and the international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. COFACE members create synergies both internally and externally through their wide range of expertise spanning different areas: from social policy to education, financial inclusion, disability, care/support, gender equality, migration, consumer issues, safer internet and data protection.
Looking to the future, Annemie Drieskens, COFACE Families Europe President: “More than ever, pluralistic civil society organisations like COFACE need broad support to promote core European values, and to build bridges between local and EU level. Family organisations are essential for democracy holding governments at all level accountable. They are watchdogs and agents of change drawing attention to the emerging needs of families. Together they strive for the respect and implementation of fundamental rights and a better society for all European families”. This commitment must be reflected in the future ambitions of the European Union, in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
COFACE has published a series of drawings illustrating 30 milestones of its history, as well as a digital exhibition with real pieces of history. Find all the material here.
More information about COFACE families Europe here.
Source: COFACE