JS-19.5
Contemporary Family and Human Development
Family is not only an institutional cell but also is a micro-social basis of human development and its reproduction. It is a family where the key elements of human development (health, education, well-being etc.) originate from. The potential of these elements predetermine perspectives of socio-economic, scientific and cultural development of the country and ultimately of the person himself.
It is a family where a person should be brought up to respect fundamental principles of equity, recognize human rights, interests and needs of other family members and people around. Family is the only social institution providing for retranslation of values and norms to the following generations; ensuring succession, stability and sustainability of human development.
At present in many countries the family institution experience crisis, which is intensified by discrepant and often negative demographic processes. These tendencies affected Russia as well. Along with decrease in birth rates, there have been negative changes in marriage and family structure; in the number of incomplete families and illegitimacy. The most common feature of the russian families is poverty, which is deepen with every subsequent child.
Responding to contemporary challenges in marriage and family processes the governments of developed countries realize explicit family policies. In Russia family-oriented measures were always regarded as a part of social and demographic policies. But nowadays National family policy, its statements, principles and priorities are being conceptualized. This is reflected in the work of experts’ and scientists’ communities; in broad public discussions of the draft project of the National Family Policy Concept.