Organizing Discourses around Family before and after theInternational Year of the Family－Basic Research for International Comparison－

Mayumi Hachisuka (M&Y Consultants., Co. Ltd)Mayuko Sano (Associate Professor, School of Human and Social Sciences, Fukuoka
Prefectural University)
1. Introduction
This study aims to describe transformations in the levels of interest in family and theforms/functions of family during the period that marked the establishment of theInternational Year of the Family (IYF) in 1989—a symbolic event that reflected increased
international interest in the family.
The International Year of the Family, 1994, was proclaimed by the United Nations
General Assembly, in its resolution 44/82 of 9 December 1989. The theme of the Year is“Family: resources and responsibilities in a changing world.” The objectives of the Year
were to increase awareness of family issues; strengthen national institutions' work on
policies; stimulate efforts to respond to problems affecting the situation of families;
enhance the effectiveness of local, regional and national efforts to carry out specificprograms concerning families; improve the collaboration among national andinternational non-governmental organizations. Principles underlining the IYF
Proclamation describe that the family constitutes the basic unit of society and therefore
warrants special attention. Hence, IYF insisted the widest possible protection andassistance should be accorded to families so that they may fully assume their
responsibilities within the community, pursuant to the provisions of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights, theDeclaration on Social Progress and Development; and the Convention on the Eliminationof All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
As there are few detailed materials written in Japanese about IYF and even lessresearch on the IYF, the current research situation in this field is unknown. In thecontext in which policies are debated on the premise that “the family constitutes thebasic unit of society” across countries, the present study is based on the following
questions: 1) Why did the family become an “issue of international concern” during thistime? 2) What was the aim of the IYF? In Japan, there was less interest in the IYF
than in the International Women’s Year; the IYF was misunderstood as “an orientation
towards the patriarchal three-generation family”, 3) If the IYF occurred in response to1

issues surrounding the family during this period, what changes in “the state of the family”
gave rise to this event?
2. Methodology
The bibliographic survey was adopted as the method of research. The research method
applied in this study follows trends in the discourse by presenting hypotheses pertaining
to the state of the family, an issue of concern at the time. It also organizes family-studies
discourses and conducts a document analysis of the United Nations (UN) resolutions andmeeting records prior to 1989, the year the IYF was established.
Family studies were revolutionized by feminism in 1970-80’s. We schematicallycharacterize family studies in 1970 to beginning of 90’s with four themes, a) the recessionof the characteristics of the modern family such as the increase in divorce andcohabitation, increased concern about same-sex partnerships, the appearance ofdiversity between families and unconventional relationships,b) the questioning of patriarchal gender division of labor, unequal power relations withinfamily, c) individualization of family structures; living an individual life free from family,
and d) discontinuity of intimacy and family life (Giddens 2006 ).
Specifically, based on the organization of discourses in family studies, we hypothesizethat the establishment of the IYF was based on the following factors: 1) a heightenedinterest in power relations within the family and the gendered division of labor, and 2)
transformations in the forms of family, individualization, closeness between members,
functions of the family, same-sex partnerships, and the need to respond to suchtransformations.
3. Analysis
The major findings are as below:(1) Concern about basic human rights and social development was the starting point of
IYF.
IYF originated from the principle of human-rights protection, first promoted by the1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenants on Human
Rights (adopted in 1966) and Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women(adopted in 1967) in the UN resolution, “World Social Development” (adopted in1978), based on the Declaration on Social Progress and Development (adopted in 1969),
which subsequently led to the UN resolution “Implementation of the Declaration on
Social Progress and Development” (adopted in 1979) .
Universal Declaration of Human Rights indicated that equal status for men andwomen of full age and their free and full consent to marriage. Article 16 stated that thefamily as a basic unit of society.

2Article 16
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled toprotection by society and the State.
Article 25(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-beingof himself and of his family, including food, clothing, and housing and medical care andnecessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances
beyond his control.
“Declaration on Social Progress and Development” (A/RES/2542(XXIV) stated that thefamily as a basic unit of society. Therefore, the family should be strengthened by theappropriate policies within the framework of national demographic policies and as partof the welfare medical services.

Article 4
The family as a basic unit of society and the natural environment for the growth andwell-being of all its members, particularly children and youth, should be assisted andprotected so that it may fully assume its responsibilities within the community.
Parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number andspacing of their children.
Article 22(a) The development and coordination of policies and measures designed to strengthen
the essential functions of the family as a basic unit of society;(b) The formulation and establishment, as needed, of programmes in the field of
population, within the framework of national demographic policies and as part of thewelfare medical services, including education, training of personnel and the provision tofamilies of the knowledge and means necessary to enable them to exercise their right todetermine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children;(c) The establishment of appropriate child-care facilities in the interest of children andworking parents
It is possible to say that article 22 which refers to “The development and coordinationof policies and measures designed to strengthen the essential functions of the family asa basic unit of society” is the foundation of the IYF.
“Declaration on Social Progress and Development” (A/RES/2542(XXIV) paved the way
for an international approach to the family with the later adopted UN resolution “World
Social Development”(A/RES/33/48) (1978) and UN Economic and Social Council

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resolution “Implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development”(E/RES/1979/15) (1979).
The Half of the United Nations Decade for Women (1975-1985), International Year of
Disabled Persons (adopted in 1976, effected in 1981) and International Year of the Child(adopted in1976, effected in 1979) also contain special references to the family. The
World Conference of United Nations Decade for Women found that it was essential thathousehold chores and care should be shared by men to facilitate the access of women to
gainful employment. In the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons
noted that the customs and structure of the family and community had to be taken into
account in promoting their ability to respond to the needs of the disabled (United Nations
1986:4).
Although the family has been among the preoccupations of the UN programs statedabove, the family was not the object of specific concentrated action (UN DESA CSDHA
1987 b ： 11).

Family related issues which dealt with by some organization andspecialized agencies of the United Nations system were integrated into the action of IYF
in order to meet “Declaration on Social Progress and Development” (A/RES/2542(XXIV)
which call for comprehensive social welfare services and the improvement of existing
services.
We recognized that IYF, International Women’s year (adopted in 1972, effected in1975), International Year of Disabled Persons and International Year of the Child havesame origin such as Universal Declaration of Human Rights and“Declaration on Social
Progress and Development” (A/RES/2542(XXIV)) .
(2) The delay in social development by oil shocks reconfirmed the importance of the social
development and later awoke the argument about the role of the family in thedevelopment process.
The oil crisis in 1973 and in1979 delayed the promotion of social development. These
economic events have set back the fight against mass poverty characterized byinadequate nutrition, poor health, shortened lives, and lack of access to social services.
Expectations for a betterment of living standards in the immediate future have been
dampened (United Nations Department of International Economic and Social Affairs(UN DESA), Center for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs (CSDHA)
1982：35）.
The resolution entitled “World Social Situation” (A/RES/37/54) was adopted by theGeneral Assembly at its thirty seventh session on 3 December 1982. The Member
States were urged to put an effort into the social development, which is about
improving the well-being of every individual by betterment of the sanitary system,
educational opportunity and promotion of popular participation as a strategy forpromoting community-level action and national development.
The resolution entitled “World Social Situation” (A/RES/37/54) in 1982 woke the4argument about the role of the family and the development process. This in turn was
realized through the resolution of the Economic and Social Council’s Commission forSocial Development entitled “Role of the family in the development process”(E/RES/1983/23).
The resolution (E/RES/1983/23) defined the family as a basic unit of society and thenatural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members, particularly
children and youth, whom should be assisted and protected so that they may fully
assume its responsibilities within the community taking note of chapter II of the 1982
Report on the World Social Situation.
The 1982 Report on the World Social Situation mentioned:

The growing economic independence of women and the equal rights movement arechanging relations within the nuclear family towards more individual autonomy. At
the same time, the institution of the family is shaken by the frequency of divorce.
Urbanization continues to alter the social fabric of developing regions. Millions ofpeople have, in the past decade, left their hearth and home, sometimes lured byprospects of new opportunities for enrichment and social intercourse, at other times
escaping a stifling environment or abject poverty (pp.2)
This recognized that the institution of the family was undergoing transformations in
the process of development and the changes have an impact on the social fabric and thesolidarity network.
The resolution (E/RES/1983/23) requested the Secretary-General to enhanceawareness among decision makers and the public of the problems and needs of thefamily, as well as of effective ways of meeting those needs taking into account article 16of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
United Nations Department of International Economic and Social Affairs Center forSocial Development and Humanitarian Affairs [UN DESA CSDHA] published the four
volume report on the family from 1982 to 1987. The first publication in the series wasentitled “Models for Providing Comprehensive Services for Family and Child Welfare;”the second was “Role of the Family in the Development Process;” the third was“National Family Polices: their Relationship to the Role of the Family in theDevelopment Process;” and the last was “the Family No. 4: Strengthening the Family:
Guidelines for the Design of Relevant Programmes”.
The resolution of the Economic and Social Council’s Commission for Social
Development entitled" the family " (E/RES/1985/29) of 29 May 1985 invited theGeneral Assembly to consider the possibility of including in the provisional agenda ofits forty-first session an item entitled “Families in the development process.” Thiswas done with a view to consider a request to the Secretary-General to initiate aprocess of development of global awareness of the issues involved, directed towards

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governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and public
opinion.
The resolution of the Economic and Social Council’s Commission for Social
Development entitled" Need to enhance International Co-operation in the Field of theProtection of and Assistance for the Family” (E/RES/1987/42 ) demands a comment
from every country about the possible proclamation of an international year of thefamily. It was adopted on May 28th in 1987.
(3) Notable changes in family size (shrinkage), family lifecycles, and the role of thefamily in the actual data on “The 1982 Report on the World Social Situation” support
UN discussions on the role of the family in the development process“The 1982 Report on the World Social Situation” was the tenth in a series of reportson this subject dating from 1952. Since the adoption by the General Assembly on 11
December 1969 of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development contained inresolution 2542 (XXIV), the reporting on the implementation of the provisions of thisDeclaration and the reporting on the world social situation have been linked.
Notable changes such as the decline in the size of households, the decline of fertility,
encasement of the voluntary dissolution of the family by legally sanctioned divorce orseparation, frequency of the one-parent family were shown in the report. The report
recognized that families were becoming more fragile and the institution of the family
was weakening, more than it is often assumed, amidst capitalism, industrialization,and urbanization, brought about by development and progress, in both developed anddeveloping countries (UN DESA CSDHA1982: 20）.
“The 1982 Report on the World Social Situation” reported that recent world social
situation is far from achieving the goal of the Declaration on Social Progress andDevelopment due to the oil crisis. The report concluded that policies should meetfamily needs in a non-coercive manner（UN. Department of International Economic
and Social Affairs 1982：35）.
The resolution titled A/RES/37/54 World Social Situation was adopted without votein 3 Dec. 1982. A/RES/37/54 World social situation requested the Commission on Social
Development at its twenty-eighth session to give high priority to the examination anddiscussion of the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation and to submit its views andobservations to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session through the Economic
and Social Council.
It requested the Secretary-General to transmit the 1982 Report on the World Social
Situation to other United Nations bodies concerned with international activities and to
the regional commissions for their consideration, and to issue the 1985 report on theWorld Social Situation, taking into consideration the provisions of the present
resolution and including an analysis of the implementation of the Declaration on Social
Progress and Development in the light of the goals and objectives of the International6

Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade, and taking
into account the comments of delegations on this question made during the thirtyseventh session of the General Assembly.
The Economic and Social Council adopted Economic and Social Council resolution" Role of the Family in the Development Process (E/RES/1983/23)" taking note ofchapter II of the 1982 Report on the World Social Situation dealing with the family, inwhich is quoted article 4 of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development. There
it is stated that the family as a basic unit of society and the natural environment for
the growth and well-being of all its members, particularly children and youth, should
be assisted and protected so that it may fully assume its responsibilities within thecommunity.
The resolution stressed that the relevant organs, organizations and bodies within the
United Nations system should give due attention to the role of the family in thedevelopment process and requested the Secretary-General to enhance awarenessamong decision makers and the public of the problems and needs of the family, as wellas effective ways of meeting those needs.
(4) Establishment of IYF and discussions leading to it
In 1987, the resolution titled “(E/RES/1987/42) Need to Enhance International Cooperation in Protection of and Assistance for the Family” was adopted at the fortysecond UN General Assembly to invite all States to make their views known
concerning the possible proclamation of an international year of the family and to offer
their comments and proposals thereon to the Secretary-General. A series of discussions
was held at the General Assembly after the above-mentioned resolution had adopted,
and in 1989, the forty-fourth General Assembly decided to proclaim 1994 as
International Year of the Family without vote (A/RES/44/82).
In the process leading to the adoption of the resolution, there were heateddiscussions over the value and forms of family. Netherlands, for example, proposedthat “family” includes “family and family-like group units of society,” taking into
account the very diverse culture and people of the world. Some member States strongly
opposed to the proposal, arguing that the family-like group units of society represented
illicit relationships, undermining moral values.
In addition, there were arguments both for and against the proclamation of the IYF.
Governments favoring the IYF considered that the Year would serve to highlight theimportance of families; promote a better understanding of their roles, structures andfunctions; encourage a better appreciation of their concerns, situation and problems;and provide the impetus for polices that would more effectively support, assist andotherwise promote their well-being. A government opposed to the IYF argued thatexisting mechanisms of international cooperation should be used instead to focus
attention on fulfilling the basic needs of the families in developing countries.

7(5) International concerns and activities concerning the family within governmentalorganization, non-governmental organization served as a tail wind for adoption of IYF.
“The family No. 4 strengthening the family: Guidelines for the Design of Relevant
Programmes” published by UN referred that International concerns and activities
concerning the family inspired the IYF (UN DESA CSDHA 1987 b：11）.
“The family No. 4 strengthening the family: Guidelines for the Design of Relevant
Programmes” is the fourth report in series on the family undertaken since 1982 by theCentre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs. These studies provide asurvey of findings for policy maker and development planner with new perspective onfamilies in development process; modernization, urbanization and industrialization.
The obvious case is the Declaration of the Inter-American Year of the Family by theOrganization of American States, OAS. The resolution on the Inter-American Year of
the Family proposed by the Inter-American Commission of Women, CIM was adopted
on November 10 in 1981. During XIX and XX Assemblies, CIM requested the General
Assembly of the OAS to declare 1983 as an Inter-American Year of the Family.
CIM was the first inter-governmental agency established to ensure recognition of
women's human rights. It was founded in order to influence the outcome of the Fifth
International Conference of American States in Santiago, Chile (1923) from theperspective of the legal status of women and their right to vote(https://www.oas.org/en/cim/about.asp). CIM promotes the full and equal participationof women in all aspects of economic, social, political, and cultural development.
The General Assembly of OAS approved the resolution on Inter-American
Declaration on Family Rights (AG/RES.678 XIII-G/83) on November18, 1983. OAS
stressed the importance of the family as an indispensable framework for anindividual's physical, emotional and social development and as a basis for social order
citing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by the General Assemblyof the United Nations. It stated that changes in the economic, social, technological andcultural aspects of society affect the family, since it is sensitive to such changes insocial dynamics. It urged the governments of the member states to recognize andobserve such rights (Zanotti 1984；AG/RES.553(XI-0/81) Declaration of the InterAmerican Year of the Family）.
“The family No. 4 strengthening the family: Guidelines for the Design of Relevant
Programmes” mentioned that the Council of Europe has sponsored several activities on
the family (UN DESA CSDHA 1987 b：11).
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Strasbourg, agreed to Article 5 (22.XI.1984 ) on Equality between spouses.

Spouses shall enjoy equality of rights and responsibilities of a private
law character between them, and in their relations with their children,8

as to marriage, during marriage and in the event of its dissolution. This Article shallnot prevent States from taking such measures as are necessary in the interests of thechildren.
Activities undertaken by non-governmental organizations concerned with families
were mentioned too. We found strong interest in family was emerging within intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations and these movement
served as a tail wind for adoption of IYF.
(6) Gender relations in families: from the perspective of development
Declarations of the UN conferences on development and human rights held in 1980’s– mid 1990’s stipulated that “the family constitutes the basic unit of society.” At the sametime, they required to protect the human rights of women and girls in the families,
promote equal sharing of responsibilities for the family by men and women, encourageboth men and women to participate in productive and reproductive activities, ensure fulland equal participation of men and women in decision-making in reproductive lives. The
IYF shared the recognition. During this period, development agencies were also urged toanalyze the inequality of men and women in decision-making and allocation of resources
within a family, and address the issues. We see the influence of feminism movement in
the declarations and shift in the recognition of gender relations in families indevelopment.
4. Conclusion
First, to explain how the family became a matter of international concern, we have
explored the effect of heightened feminist movements and responses to change, in theform of family, functions, closeness, and individualization, as argued in the familystudies literature. However, our findings indicate that, at the source, there was concern
about social development, originating from the principle of human-rights protection, firstpromoted by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in the UN resolution,“World Social Development” (adopted in 1978), based on the Declaration on Social
Progress and Development (adopted in 1969), which subsequently led to the UN
resolution “Implementation of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development”(adopted in 1979).
The present study shows that the relationship between the IYF and otherinternational “years,” including United Nations Decade for Women, World Assembly on
Ageing, the International Year for Disabled Persons, and the International Year of The
Child, derived from a common foundation, namely efforts related to the International
Covenants on Human Rights and the Declaration on Social Progress and Development;these years are like branches and leaves growing from the same trunk and roots. UN
saw diverse approaches to the reality of the family among UN families organization such9

as FAO, WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, Habitat and ILO lose sight of the family as an entitywith a global character.
Second, the present study shows that the purpose of the IYF, based on its principles,was “to raise awareness of issues related to the family, which is a source of wellbeing foreach family member.” We argue that there was a need to focus on “family” to ensure thecomprehensive inclusion of women, disabled persons, senior citizens, and children—
whose inclusion into policy had been fragmented—as the beneficiaries of development.
This came about following the emergence of a stance that prioritized “economic
development accompanied by social development and the integration and participationof youth and women,” underlined by the principle that “the ultimate goal of development
is the continuous improvement of the wellbeing of all through participation in every stepof development and the fair distribution of profits.” Thus, the purpose of the event was
not to promote “an orientation towards the patriarchal three-generation family.”
Third, to explain transformations in the state of the family that led to theestablishment of the IYF, the present study shows that UN discussions recognized
emerging changes in family size (shrinkage), family lifecycles, and the role of the family
amidst capitalism, industrialization, and urbanization, brought about by development
and progress, in both developed and developing countries. Specifically, we show that, as
developed and developing countries coped with the economic slowdown caused by thetwo oil crises by reforming the welfare state and implementing liberalization, thesechanges led to concerns about social development retreat, and particularly the
weakening of the function of family in developing countries. This, in turn, led toheightened concerns about family wellbeing, which resulted in the establishment of the
IYF.
Fourth, International concerns and activities concerning the family withingovernmental, non-governmental organization served as a tailwind for adoption of IYF.
These movements were with a background of the rise of the feminism movement and thechange of the family in the real world.
Finally, the present study offers insights into modern Japan from the perspective of
the IYF, which promotes a comprehensive approach toward improving the wellbeing ofindividuals and families. We have highlighted the adverse effects of the Japanese welfare
system, which presumes that the family is the main caretaker, and the fixed gender roles
within it, as demonstrated by the double-care issue. This study also explores the designof a social-service system reliant on a family model that dismisses the families of disabled
persons; and a vertically-segmented government administration that treats childrearing
and senior care as separate matters.
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