The following statement by IOF, joined by organizations around the world, has been provided to all United Nations ambassadors and their missions in advance of the Commission for Social Development to be held February 6–15, 2023, in New York City.
Full Respect for Religious Values and the Rights of the Family:
The Copenhagen Mandate for CSocD61
Dear Excellency:
As the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) prepares for its 61st session on February 6–15, 2023, we the undersigned organizations thank you for your work and respectfully offer the following observations.
The Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development, which CSocD is charged to implement, provides that social development policies for each country shall proceed “with full respect for the various religious and ethical values, cultural backgrounds and philosophical convictions of its people, and in conformity with all human rights and fundamental freedoms” (Paragraph 28). Reading this language in light of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) points to two urgent guidelines for the work of CSocD: full respect for religious values and for the rights of the family.
The Rights of the Family
Of all the rights enumerated in the UDHR, only one is held by a group unit: the family. And not just any family, but the natural family, the natural union of a man and a woman, constituting the very foundation of civilization: “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State” (Article 16.3). Hence the family is, as stated in the World Family Declaration (www.worldfamilydeclaration.org), “the natural refuge for children…the first and foremost school to teach the values necessary for the well-being of children and society,” and “the bedrock of society, the strength of our nations, and the hope of humanity.”
So critical is the family to societal progress that its utmost protection has been mandated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 10.1: “The widest possible protection and assistance should be accorded to the family, which is the natural and fundamental group unit of society.”
No wonder the family has been recognized by leaders around the world as “a vital partner” in achieving international development goals (Secretary-General Kofi Annan), “the main instrument of societal transformation” (His Excellency Iftekhar Chowdhury), and a “driving force” for “social progress and development” (Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser). In the words of author Alex Haley, “The family is our refuge and our springboard; nourished on it, we can advance to new horizons. In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.”
As CSocD61 addresses worldwide development challenges made all the more urgent by COVID and recent upheavals of war and natural disaster, we believe that it is more urgent than ever to keep in focus the core determinant of development, the family. To that end we recommend two highly acclaimed books (edited by Susan Roylance) on the indispensable role of family capital in achieving the sustainable development goals. These books are available online for free at www.familycapital17sdgs.org, and in published form in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, where they have been repeatedly displayed as featured titles.
Religious Values
We further urge that in harmony with the Copenhagen Declaration, the work of CSocD61 accord religious freedom the substantial weight it carries in the UDHR, as found in the Preamble, “human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief”; in Article 1, “All human beings are… endowed with reason and conscience”; in Article 19, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression”; and, most impressively, in Article 18, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
This last article was deemed of such importance that it was incorporated as a treaty obligation in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 18. Why such emphasis on religious freedom? Because, as Professor Robert P. George points out, at stake is not just the right of individuals but the well-being of society itself.
Countries that protect religious liberty are more secure and stable than those that do not, and nations that trample on this freedom provide fertile ground for war and poverty, terror and radical movements. In other words, religious freedom abuses not only violate the core of our humanity, but also do grave harm to the well-being of societies… politically,… economically,… morally,… [and] socially.
We therefore request that the work of CSocD61 proceed with full respect for religious values and for the rights of the family in order to realize what Paragraph 3 of the Copenhagen Declaration aspires to achieve:
We acknowledge that our societies must respond more effectively to the material and spiritual needs of individuals, their families and the communities in which they live throughout our diverse countries and regions. We must do so not only as a matter of urgency but also as a matter of sustained and unshakeable commitment through the years ahead.
Respectfully,
International Organization for the Family
United Families International
Center for Family and Human Rights
CitizenGO, Spain
REAL Women of Canada
Latin American Alliance for the Family
American Family Advocates, New York
Family Policy Institute, South Africa
Family First, New Zealand
HazteOir, Spain
FamilyPolicy.RU Advocacy Group, Russia
Universal Peace Federation
Native American Fatherhood and Families Association