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ZIMBABWE has joined the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Families.
It emphasises the importance of family and heightens awareness of issues that affect families globally.
The day is celebrated every year on May 15.
This year’s national launch will be held in Gwanda on Friday.
The International Day of Families, which came into effect through United Nations Resolution 47/237 of September 20, 1993, reaffirms that the family unit is a natural and fundamental entity in society as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
This year’s commemorations’ theme is ‘Demographic Trends and Families’.
Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister, Sithembiso Nyoni, said the objectives of the commemorations include the need to evaluate the social and economic impacts of changing demographic trends of the family unit.
“Zimbabwe has not been immune to these demographic issues which affect various sections of the national population in many ways,” she said.
“A number of changing demographic trends in Zimbabwe have been emphasised in the 2022 National Census, and these issues need major consideration and inclusion within development plans by the Government of Zimbabwe and its development partners.
“This will help development programmes to be responsive to the needs of individuals, families and communities as a whole.”
Minister Nyoni said the national launch will open up to the holding of provincial, district and ward celebrations across the country.
“This will help to highlight and promote the need for strong families against the backdrop of the challenges and opportunities posed by changing demographic trends, so as to ensure sustainable socio-economic growth for the nation,” she said.
She added that families across the rural and urban divide faced a number of social and economic challenges that can be traced back to family fabric disintegration and poverty.
“Child prostitution, early marriages, drug abuse and domestic violence are now rampant, and this results in challenges that need to be tackled head-on by all stakeholders who need to make their interventions adaptive to the demographic realities on the ground,” Minister Nyoni said.
“My Ministry therefore stands committed to ensuring that the implementation of programmes developed for our key clients take into consideration the welfare, promotion and protection of the family unit in line with real demographic influences.”
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter