Department of Social Development
The social development department has published the green paper on families in the Government Gazette.
The green paper seeks to promote family life and strengthen families in South Africa.
Cabinet approved the green paper for publication for comment last month.
The green paper contains proposals “on how South African families should be supported, in order to flourish and function optimally”.
Government wants families to play a central role in the development of South Africa.
The green paper acknowledges that many “social ills in South Africa are the result of either weak family systems or non-existent families, altogether”.
The green paper is the start of a process to put guidelines and strategies in place to promote family life and strengthen the family.
Research was undertaken by the department to ascertain the challenges faced by families in South Africa.
Following the research, consultative meetings were held with stakeholders and other interest groups across the country. The process culminated in a national consultative workshop.
The green paper emphasises the way in which the historical context such as migrant labour and the recent financial crisis impacts on family life.
The green paper is informed by a number of principles:
• Human rights
• Family diversity
• Family strengths
• Community participation
• Promoting and strengthening marriages
• Promoting and strengthening parenting
• Partnerships
In essence, the green paper seeks to place the family in national policy discourse. It also aims to establish a link between social ills and the state of the family in South Africa.
It calls for partnerships between government and civil society to put a halt to the disintegration of families.
Government wants to incorporate family issues into policy-making in general.
Sabinet Cape Town Office
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