ALL religious organisations are being called upon to dedicate a sermon to family policies for inclusive societies as the importance of a socially comprehensive and family-oriented society needs to be addressed.

This is according to Chairperson of the National Commission for the Family, Mrs. Sandra Hooper, in her remarks in observance of International Day of Families on Tuesday.
The event was held at the Marriott Hotel under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Protection and Social Services Department.

Under the theme, “Families and inclusive societies”, Mrs. Hooper said stable and cohesive families are needed now more than ever in society.
Adding that roundtable discussions were held in several regions to provide an environment where issues related to families can be discussed, the Chairperson said such deliberations that affect families include: Suicide, poverty, parental supervision, gender based violence, child abuse, limited male participation, and the underachievement of boys.
“These challenges, coupled with the rapidly changing technologies, can prevent the family from executing its functions effectively,” she said.
Further, she said that the Commission continues to engage parents through its outreach activities with Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) in Georgetown as a means of strengthening the Guyanese family.

“The National Day of Families allows us and our country to focus on families, in the manner in which we as a society can provide the requisite support for families to realise their potentials,” the National Commission for Family Chair said.
Therefore, she said that the social service department of the Ministry of Social Protection has designated one month, from May 15 to June 15, 2018, as International Month of Families.
She explained that during the month, the ministry will embark on activities which will encourage and strengthen families.

Director of Social Services, Whentworth Tanner said that family is about encouragement, understanding, comfort, advice, morals, ideals and patients.
He said these things make people feel secure and happy, although many other things may be going on in their lives.
“A functioning family is a microcosm of a functioning society; parents and children have to work together in order to build a functioning family, in the same manner each of us has to do our part to create and sustain a functioning society,” Tanner said.
The 2018 observance of the International day of Families focuses on Sustainable Development Goal 16, relating to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.