The International Day of Families, annually held on May 15, celebrates the importance of families and the work started during the International Year of Families. This day highlights the importance of families. It aims at fostering equality, bringing about a fuller sharing of domestic responsibilities and employment opportunities. A wide range of events are organized at local, national and international levels. These include: workshops, seminars and policy meeting for public officials; exhibitions and organized discussions to raise awareness of the annual theme; educational sessions for children and young people; and the launch of campaigns for public policies to strengthen and support family units. The integrative bonds in a family are of mutual affection and blood ties. The cultural traditions that are imbibed by an individual are imbibed in the familial setting, making the formative influence of the family supreme.
Families on the Indian fringe are undergoing a change. The main factors of change are modern education, development programmes and urbanization. The direction of change is from the hold of collectivity (tribe, clan and family) to increasing individuality.
