TEHRAN - The Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Zahra Behrouz-Azar, has said empowering families struggling with social problems should be prioritized.

Referring to article10 of the Constitution which says the family is the fundamental unit of Islamic society and all laws, regulations, and pertinent programs must tend to facilitate the formation of a family, and to safeguard its sanctity and the stability of family relations on the basis of the law and the ethics of Islam, the official said it is essential to pass laws that will help strengthen the families. 

The first six years of child growth are spent in the family during which the feeling of security and confidence in the family members is formed, she noted.

Moreover, the family is responsible for teaching social values, including loyalty, and belief in God, and self-esteem to their children. 

The families, particularly mothers, are the first to notice social harms their children are dealing with which further necessitate their being empowered.

More importantly, this generation is ahead of their families in terms of technology, which further stresses the need to empower families, Behrouz-Azar added.

The official went on to say that the generation which is known as Beta deals with artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, but the family is the main place where they can learn about the concept of humanity.

Hence, the family needs to be equipped with media literacy to be able to distinguish right from wrong.

Today, according to the United Nations, families are facing four major global trends bringing about profound impacts on them. These include technological change, demographic trends, migration and urbanization, and climate change. Empowering families will for sure contribute to overcoming these challenges, IRNA quoted Behrouz-Azar as saying.

Preserving family values, structure

Acknowledging the pivotal role of the family in making progress, Behrouz-Azar, has underscored the significance of strengthening the foundation of the family through the preservation of family values and structure.

She made the remarks while addressing the High-level Ministerial Session on the sidelines of a global conference on ‘Family and Contemporary Megatrends’ which was held on October 30-31, 2024, in Doha, Qatar, commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family (IYF).

All in all, these trends necessitate special care and attention due to the changes they have made in the daily life, social, and economic structure of families, the official noted.

These changes have challenged the structure of families and affected family relationships as well as the future of the children in different ways.

The official highlighted the importance of national and local strategies along with policy-making in fostering relationships and preserving the family foundation, “what used to strengthen families in the past, in the absence of these programs, were the social values such as respect for elders, solidarity, sacrifice, commitment, and loyalty.

Preserving these values and passing them on to future generations is our duty,” she further noted.

Improving communication skills, resilience, empathy and family solidarity, managing conflict, and resolving crisis, should be put on the agenda. By supporting social-cultural programs and activities, opportunities will be provided for face-to-face interactions of the families.

Moreover, enhancing cultural and sports programs as well as family tourism can reinforce relationships and develop empathy in families, Behrouz-Azar stressed.

Global conference on ‘Family and Contemporary Megatrends’ brought together many policymakers, experts, and thought leaders to explore megatrends including demographic Change, migration, urbanization, technological advancement, and climate change that are affecting the family. 

The conference also discussed family-friendly policies, best practices, and strategic partnerships to promote family welfare and social development.

One of the main objectives of the conference was to shape a future in which every family can flourish.

MT/MG