Today the members of parliament voted to rename the “Committee on Children, Youth and Sports” by adding the word “families”. Thus, its new name will be “Committee on Children, Youth, Families and Sports”.
In the previous National Assembly, we from the National Children’s Network took the position that it is necessary to add the topic of families to this committee, and the topic of sports should be moved to either the health committee, the tourism committee, or to set apart into a separate committee. We requested this because all the deputies who are athletes are in the committee that discusses both sports and children and youth issues. Understandably, these deputies have no preparation or expertise regarding children’s and family issues. For this reason, they either have an inconsistent opinion on a given policy, or they have no position at all.
We will see how they will approach family policies now. According to us, the situation will be the same – complete misunderstanding.
In the discussions in the National Assembly today, the deputies did not understand why families should be part of the committees. After all, we have a special text on families in the Constitution! And it is not just about adding one word. The key here is that policies related to families should be approached in a focused and separate manner.
Here are 12 reasons why it is important for families to be the focus of the National Assembly:
- Families experiencing crisis due to death, separation, disability, dissolution, violence, etc. are at risk and need help to preserve the family, as well as the mental health and well-being of its members.
- Young parents need help both during pregnancy and in raising young children, and they should be supported by professionals.
- Parents of teenagers face difficulties because at this age children reject adult authority. These groups also need help to maintain healthy and strong relationships within the family.
- Single parents or families with one parent should be able to successfully combine professional life with their family obligations.
- Only those families that have a person with a disability or mental illness in their home know the kind of hell they are going through and how much inhumane effort is needed to cope.
- Members of families with alcohol, drug, or gambling addiction need psychological or even psychiatric help, and specialized services and adequate assistance are needed for this.
- Families of elderly people need home care, supervision, but also emotional support to live better in their old age.
- Health, education, and social services should be focused on providing assistance to families and the many daily problems in this smallest social unit of society.
- Families that are separating should receive assistance in the pre-trial and trial phase to go through the separation, maintaining good relationships as much as possible.
- Every member of the family should feel protected by the state.
- Tax policies should encourage parenting and caring for children.
- Affordable housing should be provided for young families and families in need to avoid homelessness and marginalization.
Perhaps in the next 50th National Assembly, sports will finally find the right commission, as it is not the one that deals with the many cases in policies for children, youth, and families!
But let’s see…
