Demographic Trends And Families

“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” – Friedrich Nietzsche. There is a global family crisis. The spirit of family is slowly being eroded. As we delve more into the era of modernity family members are becoming more insular and selfish. There was a time when the adage it takes a village to raise a child was true; sadly, this does not apply in this dispensation. The genuine concern of caring for each other within families no longer exists. The communal sense of sharing and caring in families is no more. As we move away from the principle of family our societies have become worse off. Families are engaged in fights and malice. No one seems to remember where they are coming from. It is fair to conclude that in many families the relationships are quite toxic. At best a significant number of families are dysfunctional. Sadly, many children have become pawns in their families as custody battles play out almost daily in numerous courts across various jurisdictions. Additionally, many children lack supervision and structure; in fact many children are growing themselves. Recently, a grade eleven student shared that he is living on his own. He adds that he pays rent for a 1 bedroom and buys his own food. He said his father hinted to him that it was now time for him to go on his own at age 18 years. This story is quite a familiar one as some parents and guardians cannot wait for the child to reach the legal age for adulthood to ask them to leave. There are also instances too when children neglect their parents in old age and this too is problematic. Even so called Christian families have been and are failing the core principle of what a family should be. The family is the core tenet of God’s plan for our lives and development. We all know about that family that is struggling to cope, however, how many of us have assisted in any form? We have abandoned that sense of family? In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly decided in a resolution that The International Day of families should be observed on May 15th yearly. The day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families. The United Nations states that this annual observance reflects the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families as well as to promote appropriate action. The Day can become a powerful mobilizing factor on behalf of families in all countries, which avail themselves of this opportunity and demonstrate support of family issues appropriate to each society. The theme this year is: Demographic Trends and Families. According to the UN, in late 2022, the world’s population reached eight billion people. This momentous occasion was characterized by the United Nations Secretary-General as a ‘milestone in human development’ this landmark event illustrates major advancements in health extending human lifespan. The UN adds that population growth is to continue although at a decreasing rate. The world’s population is projected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100 rising concerns about the prospects of sustainable urbanization and management of climate change. Demographic change is one of the most important megatrends impacting our world and the life and well-being of families worldwide. Demographic trends are mostly shaped by fertility and mortality patterns. Declining fertility rates result in benefits for families as they are more able to invest in their children’s health and education, which in turn help with poverty reduction and better socio-economic development. Research indicates that decreasing fertility also increases women’s labour participation. On the other hand, fertility declines result in smaller families which are less likely to cope with care and other household obligations. As such in times of unemployment or illness, families have fewer members to rely on. Moreover, low fertility rates may undermine labour forces and social structures triggering drastic responses with hard to predict consequences for issues ranging from social security to gender equality. Have a safe and happy International Day of Families. In the words of Desmond Tutu, you don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©