Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family A/RES/68/136 Recognizing also that family policies are most effective when targeting the family unit and its dynamic as a whole, including taking into consideration the needs of its members, and noting that family-oriented policies aim in particular at strengthening, and should be designed to enhance, a household’s capacity to escape poverty, ensure financial independence and support work-family balance to help manage family functions and foster child development, Cognizant of the need for continued inter-agency and regional cooperation on family issues in order to generate greater awareness of this subject among the governing bodies of the United Nations system, Convinced that civil society, including research and academic institutions, has a pivotal role in advocacy, promotion, research and policymaking in respect of family policy development and capacity-building, Noting with satisfaction the close collaboration of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations active in the family field, as well as its research efforts and preparations for the twentieth anniversary of the International Year, Encouraging the active role of the regional commissions and organizations, and acknowledging the participation of civil society in the preparatory process for the twentieth anniversary of the International Year, Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General, 1 1. Encourages Governments to continue to make every possible effort to realize the objectives of the International Year of the Family and its follow-up processes and to integrate a family perspective into national policymaking; Decides to devote one plenary meeting during the sixty-ninth session of 2. the General Assembly, in 2014, to the observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year, in order to discuss the role of family-oriented policies in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda; Invites Governments and regional intergovernmental entities to provide 3. for more systematic national and regional data on family well-being and to identify and ensure support for constructive family policy developments, including the exchange of information on good policies and practices; Urges Member States to view 2014 as a target year by which concrete 4. efforts will be made to improve family well-being through the implementation of effective national policies, strategies and programmes and to give due consideration to advancing family policy development in the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda; Encourages Member States to promote policies that strengthen social 5. integration and intergenerational solidarity through investment in family-centred support programmes, including social protection assistance, the prevention of the abuse of older persons, the protection of persons with disabilities, including in particular children with disabilities, and investments in cross-generational facilities and intergenerational learning, and volunteer programmes for youth, older persons, mentoring and job-sharing; _______________ 1 2/4 A/68/61-E/2013/3.