On the occasion of commemorating the International Day of the Family, which is celebrated by the international community on May 15 every year, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha has called on member states and the international community to join efforts in order to protect displaced families, refugees and those living under occupation, especially in the State of Palestine. The Secretary General indicated that this occasion comes at a time when families in many OIC member states are experiencing cases of refugee and displacement due to armed conflicts or natural disasters, which have repercussions on the family and its components. The Secretary General stressed that the OIC recognizes the importance of preserving the values of the institution of marriage and the family and the central role of the family in social life and in achieving development, ensuring the well-being of society and confronting crises. The OIC resolutions affirmed that the social dimension is essential in achieving sustainable development, and that investing in social protection is a means to achieve it. Against this background, the Secretary General urged member states to create an enabling environment to promote and support the family as a contributor to achieving sustainable development, and to work on providing the necessary social, educational and psychological services to families of refugees and displaced persons. He called on the relevant organs and institutions of the organization and partner institutions to work in support of the efforts of members states to contribute to alleviating the suffering of members of those families and the communities that shelter them. — SPA
