Family Institute to award local community with most family-friendly policies

Madrid, Spain, Jun 20, 2004 / 22:00 pm

In order to honor the local government or region with the most family-friendly policies, the Institute of Family Policy in Spain announced the creation of an award for the Best Local Community of the Year in the area of the family.

Eduardo Hertfelder, president of the Institute, made the announcement, explaining that the initiative coincides with the 10th anniversary of the International Year of the Family.

Hertfelder says there is a growing sensitivity—although still quite insufficient—on the part of local governments towards the need to help and promote the institution of the family.

Nevertheless, he added that this change of mentality is still very modest since most of the changes that are implemented tend to be isolated and lacking of a “family perspective.”

Hertfelder explained that the purpose of the award is to provide an incentive to local community governments to make policies which actively favor the family.

The Institute will grant two awards, one for the “local community of the year with the best family perspective,” and the other for the “Best Family Initiative of the year,” which will be given to the community which has implemented the best family policy. 

The jury will be made up of various representatives from society and will base its decision on an annual report issued by the Institute of Family Policy which compares family policies in the various local communities and regions of the country.