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Summary: The third inter-agency meeting in the
International Year of the Family, held
from 10 to 12 March 1993, recommended
the preparation of a manual on the
provisions relating to the rights of
the family contained in various United
Nations instrumentsThe third inter-agency meeting in the International Year of the
Family, held from 10 to 12 March 1993, recommended the preparation of
a manual on the provisions relating to the rights of the family
contained in various United Nations instruments, and giving examples
of implementing measures, under the auspices of the then Centre for
Human Rights and the secretariat for the International Year of the
Family and in close cooperation with non-governmental organisations
(Recommendation 2 (viii)).
This manual has been prepared by an expert from the Committee on the
Rights of the Child, Mrs Akila Belembaogo, MInister for Social
Welfare and the Family of Burkina Faso, with the assistance of the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The objective of this exercise is not offered a detailed study of
United Nations texts concerning human rights, but rather to pinpoint
the principal rights safeguarding the family which are embodied in
these texts.
The aim is also to prompt the international community to adopt
specific measures and policies to promote the effective protection of
the family.
The family, a universal institution, is unquestionably the
cornerstone of all life in society. Nevertheless, this institution is
constantly changing and fulfils a great variety of functions
depending on its social, political and economic context.
The United Nations is well placed to witness these changes. The
approach it has adopted has been, first, to formulate declarations
and recommendations embodying the values whixh underpin protection of
the family and then to translate these values into universally
acceptable legal standards by means of international conventions.
Although the family has many different forms and functions,
internation instruments recognise that it plays a vital, central role
in human society. It is thus perceived to be "the natural and
fundamental group unit of society", "a basic unit of society and the
natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members,
particularly children and youth", a "fundamental unit of society",
and "a basic unit of society".
This justifies protection by the international community through a
wide range of means including the guaranteeing of a number of rights
set forth in international instruments.
This manual is divided into two parts.
In Part I, the main international texts dealing with human rights
will be examined from three different perspectives:
- Protection of the family as a whole;
- Protection of the most vulnerable members of the family; and
- Protection of the family in special circumstances.
Reference will also be made to some provisions of the principal
regional instruments.
Part II will briefly discuss examples of the implementation by States
of the international provisions protecting the family, and the
monitoring thereof by the treaty bodies.
The main documents examined in the manual are listed in the annex.
The views expressed in this manual are solely those of the author and
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the United Nations.