World Family Organization

{{Short description|Non-governmental organization}}

The World Family Organization (WFO) is a non-governmental organization that works to "represent families of the world at all levels, to defend their interests and to act with them and for them through government and multilateral advocacy."{{Cite web |title=About – World Family Organization |url=http://worldfamilyorganization.com/about/ |access-date=2022-11-16 |language=en-US}}{{Cite book |last1=Muller |first1=Joachim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1edMAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22World+Family+Organization%22&pg=SA5-PA66 |title=Annual Review of United Nations Affairs 2009/2010 VOLUME V |last2=Sauvant |first2=Karl P. |date=2011-04-15 |publisher=Oxford University Press, Incorporated |isbn=978-0-19-975907-1 |language=en}}

Originally founded in 1946 in Brussels, Belgium as the "International Congress for Families and Population," the organization held the first World Family Congress in Paris in 1947. The organization worked to reunify families in the aftermath of World War II and was formally named the "International Union of Family Organization" from 1947 to 1998.{{Cite book |last1=Garralda |first1=Elena M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_dq-AAAAQBAJ&dq=%22World+Family+Organization%22&pg=PA55 |title=Increasing Awareness of Child and Adolescent Mental Health |last2=Raynaud |first2=Jean-Philippe |date=2010-03-03 |publisher=Jason Aronson |isbn=978-0-7657-0663-8 |language=en}} The organization obtained consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1948.{{Cite book |last=Osmańczyk |first=Edmund Jan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hSxS2MmQsewC&dq=%22World+Family+Organization%22&pg=PA2841 |title=Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements: T to Z |date=2003 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-415-93924-9 |pages=2841 |language=en}} The organization was renamed as the "World Family Organization" in 1998 and currently has members from 180 countries.{{Cite book |last=Publications |first=Europa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-134DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22World+Family+Organization%22&pg=PT2690 |title=The Europa Directory of International Organizations 2020 |date=2020-08-26 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-32639-0 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Gunn |first=S. William A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kE0qgugRzMMC&dq=%22World+Family+Organization%22&pg=PA180 |title=Dictionary of Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Relief |date=2012-09-14 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-1-4614-4444-2 |pages=180 |language=en}}

The mission of the WFO is "To promote means, opportunity, equal rights and chances for women and men to assume their role and functions within the Family and Society, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity, and promote policies and actions to bring about better life condition to all Families, respecting their diversity and cultures."{{Cite book |last=Nestorović |first=Čedomir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXJBDAAAQBAJ&dq=%22World+Family+Organization%22&pg=PA113 |title=Islamic Marketing: Understanding the Socio-Economic, Cultural, and Politico-Legal Environment |date=2016-05-28 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-32754-9 |pages=113 |language=en}}