Support of the natural family on the international arena

In recent years, there has been an active global debate on the topic of the family: its role in society, forms of the family, relationship within family members. 

Belarus actively joined this discussion at the end of 2013, standing upon the values of the natural family. In particular, the Republic of Belarus actively worked with interested countries to reflect the natural family issues in a number of UN documents, including during the negotiation process of the post-2015 development agenda.

In February 2015, Belarus was one of the initiators of the creation of the Group of Friends of the Family at the UN, uniting 25 UN Member States from all regions of the world (Bangladesh, Belarus, the Comoros, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zimbabwe).

In 2023, The Gambia, Syria and Sri Lanka joined the Group. Today, the Group of Friends of the Family consists of 28 UN Member States.

The Group of Friends of the Family promotes global policies, plans and measures that benefit the natural family, such as:

— the need to preserve the model of natural family and promote family values in today's world;

— recognition by member states and UN agencies the role of natural family for the sustainable social and economic development of human society;

— support of the natural family at the national and international levels by developing and implementing appropriate programmes and strategies.