Pakistan Council of Family Relations

Family is one of the most important social institution of almost every society of the world including Pakistan. During one’s childhood, adulthood, as well as parenthood every one highly influences and is influenced by the family. The family can make or mar the potential of individuals. An individual’s physical and mental health is significantly related to one’s family inheritance, socialization and inter-relationships. Further, the genesis of one’s conflicts, physical and mental sickness, corruption, crime, terrorism, social tensions and global unrest may be located in the family. Most of the problems with individuals and societies either begin or end up in the family. So, a family is directly and / or indirectly the major concern of almost everybody.

The study of ‘family’ has long been ignored in Pakistan. Family in Pakistan is being considered as a close, private and secret affair and the individuals therein seem to be silent sufferers. Adults and children are being abused and neglected. Their weak and distorted personalities are vulnerable to many psychological and social ailments. They are not preparing themselves to face the challenges of modern times. It is alarming that their relations and problems in family are not being given proper attention by researchers, educators, therapists, social scientists and policy makers. Perhaps, that is why, most of the adults and children of Pakistani society are wasting a lot of their talent, time, money and energy. Consequently, they are hampering their individual, social and national development.

For the sake of individual, social and national development, the most important social institution of our society, i.e. the family, should not be neglected any more. Healthy families are likely to bring forth healthy individuals and healthy society. With such a great cause, the organizers of Pakistan Council on Family Relations (PCFR) invite all the psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, social workers, physicians, lawyers, educators, family therapists, researchers, policy makers and all those interested in healthy families to join their hands together for individual, social and national development.

Vision
The Vision of Pakistan Council on Family Relations is to be a leading non-governmental organization for the protection and empowerment of the Family, healthy development of the child, marriage and family relations in Pakistan.

Mission
Pakistan Council on Family Relations, in this rapidly changing global environment, is striving for the safety and excellence of the child, marriage and family relations for healthy human development and happiness of the people of Pakistan by advocacy, lobbying, education, training, research and counselling at individual and familial aspects in their socio-cultural perspectives.

Objective
1. To carry indigenous scientific studies on families and to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the families.

2. To disseminate the knowledge about families through different means of communication for the sake of general awareness and welfare of the families.

3. To provide knowledge, skill and support to the families requiring intervention for alleviating their sufferings, and suggesting them ways and means to safeguard against the ailments, and maintain and promote their mental health.

4. To investigate the norms and laws those are contraindicative and indicating the ways and means for smooth functioning and well being of the families.

5. To educate the (prospective) parents the appropriate ways of parenthood according to their social-cultural perspective.

6. To educate the (prospective) couples the ways and means for healthy marital life.

7. To work against man-woman-and-child abuse and neglect in families.

8. To mitigate and eliminate violence in the family.

9. To work for the financial, educational, physical, social, intellectual and emotional well being of children, adults and elderly, men and women in the family.

10. To solve the problems of missing, separated, kidnapped and exploited children, adults and the elderly and their reunion in the families.

11. To solve the problems of widows, divorced, separated couples, orphans and foster-care children.

12. To safeguard men, women and children’s rights, and educate them their duties and morals to one another.

13. To work for the integrity, enrichment and empowerment of the family.

14. To cooperate with all governmental and non-governmental, local, national, regional and international organizations working for alleviation of human sufferings in relation to the aims and objectives of PCFR.

15. To work in congruence with the UN Convention on Rights of the Child and the UNICEF.

16. To suggest and highlight the cultural, regional and national policies on family those are in accordance with healthy individual, social, and national growth and development.

17. Any other aim/objective that is concerned with healthy family relations and is congruent with good spirit of the organizers of P.C.F.R.