“The very achievement of
development goals depends on
how well families are empowered
to contribute to the achievement
of those goals.”
The Report of the Secretary-General regarding the
Preparations for and Observance of the XX Anniversary of the
International Year of the Family in 2014 (A/66/62–E/2011/4)
FAMILY CAPITAL
Contributes to
SOCIAL CAPITAL
Factors that Impact Family Capital
Human Capital
Two-Adult Household
Parenting Skills
Extended Family
Family Stability
Economic Resources
Communication Skills
Coping Skills
Values / Spiritual Orientation
Informal Supports
The Family is Fundamental to
Development
The family is not only the
fundamental group unit of society
but is also the fundamental agent
for sustainable social, economic
and cultural development
Doha Declaration, Preamble, 2004
Family Capital increases with:
1. Marriage
2. Birth of wanted children
3. Education of family members and
acquiring technical knowledge and
skills
–Mark Belsey, UN Dept. of Economic & Social Affairs
Family Capital: Achieving the MDGS
Eradicate
Poverty
Global
Partnership
Universal
For
Education
Development
Gender
FAMILY
Environmental
Sustainability
Equality
Combat
Reduce
Disease
Child Mortality
Improve
Maternal
Health
Family as the entry point
Projects that identify family as the
entry point seem to have more
success than those that target
other social units.
Jastus Suchi Obadiah, MDG1, page 35
The Family and the MDGs
The World Bank notes that:
“Growth in agriculture is, on average, at
least twice as effective in relieving poverty
as growth outside agriculture. This is
partly due to the fact that 75% of the
World’s poor live in rural areas.”
Community Organizations
Family Capital + Family Capital = Collective Strength
• Agriculture Training
• Improved marketing outlets
• Certification for GLOBALGAP, Organic Farming and Fair
Trade
• Agriculture development
• Environmental training
• Micro-finance programs
• Agriculture supplies
• Orphan programs
• Socializing
INFRASTRUCTURE
A good infrastructure is key for eradicating
poverty, to help the family succeed:
1. The need to transport farm produce to the
market
2. The need for electricity to develop rural
industries
3. Health facilities – when people are healthy
they are more productive.
In many developing countries
“Free tuition” DOES NOT MEAN: free uniforms, free food, free
books, school supplies or other incidental fees.
Parents and
care-givers
must provide
for these
additional costs
in order for
their children to
stay in school.
Parents help build a school
A family garden provides food
and funds for school supplies
A micro-loan can provide
profit to be used for
school uniforms and
books
Re-usable sanitary pads
help girls stay in school
The ‘Stay Alive’ HIV/AIDS prevention education program
requires involvement from parents in the learning process
Youth Want Healthy Loving
Relationships
Child and Newborn Deaths
Page 126
Why do children die?
• Infection
• Undernutrition
• Birth asphyxia or prematurity
Proven Interventions
Page 139
Refocus solutions on the family
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education
Empowerment
Reliable information
Family-oriented health packages
Community health resources
Communication of success
“The most successful strategies for
improving child and newborn health
outcomes focus on the family, leveraging the
resources already extant. Family focused
healthcare leads to sustainable
improvement in health outcomes.”
Robert B. Clark, MD, MPH
Top Four Preventable Reasons for
Maternal Mortality
•
•
•
•
Hemorrhaging
Infections
High Blood Pressure – Eclampsia
Obstructed Labour
Empower Boys/Men
Empower Extended Family
Culture and Family
Cultural beliefs and behavior begin in
marriage and family relationships.
Parents, at their best, believe in and act in
behalf of the next generation.
Adolescents who report parental interest
and involvement in their lives are
about twice as likely to report sexual
abstinence prior to marriage.
Over one billion acres of farmland in
sub-Saharan Africa are moderately or
severely nutrient-depleted
(World Bank)
Family Centered Environmental Programs through
Community Development Centers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Teach and promote soil building principles
Protect existing forests, deserts & bio-diversity
Organize reforestation projects
Plant trees in the community
Install efficient wood burning stoves
Establish clean water projects
Set polices to control livestock
Improve CO2 sequestration through robust crops
Enhance utilization of animal and human waste
Unlike foreign aid . . .
Emigrants’ remittances go
directly home into the
hands of family members.
Foreign Direct Investment