Synopsis of address given in Plenary Session to The World Congress of Families IV, Warsaw, Poland, 11 May 2007

I am most privileged to address this learned gathering of the top scholars and intellectuals in the diversity of fields of Family studies. We are all grateful to Poland’s President His Excellency Mr. Lech Kaczynski, who is renowned for his pro-family philosophy and has graciously agreed to will act as honorary patron of the Congress and has delivered opening remarks.

I also wish to express my happiness at the wonderful presence of Archbishop-Emeritus Kazimierz Majdanski. He is another patron of this momentous event and has given it his blessings--the Archbishop survived the Dachau concentration camp during World War II and founded the Polish Institute for the Study of the Family which I had the opportunity to visit when I came to this historic city last year. I also want to place on record my highest felicitations and admiration to Dr. Allan Carlson for his commitment to the Family and in developing this unique theme of the present World Congress of Families IV.

The theme of our discussions has a note and underlying emphasis on hope. For a better socio-cultural milieu for the nourishment and development of the natural family we need both will and realistic planning with visionary focus. While there is widespread skepticism and even despondency about the demographic winter in Europe, we have before us a thematic canvass of optimism which is underlined by the titular objective of this IV World Congress of Families: The Natural Family Springtime for Europe & the World. 

What lies ahead semantically is, therefore, to:

1. An analyze and provide an evaluation of the “demographic winter”, and to see

2. How different cultures are going to cope with this phenomenon?

Demographic winter: Perceptions & Realities

The demographic challenges that many refer to are primarily extracted and derived from European facts and data. But is this trend confined to Europe? Dr. Allan Carlson said last year when concluding the preparations of the WCF IV Planning Committee in this very city: “If Europe is lost to demographic winter and radical secularism, much of the world will go with it.” So the rationale to counter the evolution of such phenomenon is arguably to primarily focus our scholarship and intellectual attention to the developments in Europe.

As such this Congress is watched with deep suspicion by some   institutions; I wish it were not the case! Many thousands who have gathered here are for the uniting of multiple religions and nations under a common goal of protecting family life, freedom of religion and the basic rights historical an inherent right of children within the family. This should not unduly be a cause for concern among organizations seeking to promote individualistic and secularist values. We have realistically to contend with a diversity of views on this subject; yet it is hoped, with a pious mindset, to move ahead to safeguard the historical legacy of or ancestors with respect to the family and its component constituent units.[1]

“As “demographic winter” descends over Europe, plunging birthrates coincide with heavy immigration, primarily from Muslim lands. Following the logic of Mark Steyn’s America Alone, many conservatives have largely written off “old Europe” as a lost cause,” Dr. Allan Carlson wrote for Human Events on March 22, 2007.

“This is unfortunate, for two reasons. First, courageous pro-family champions and organizations exist in every European country, even in hotbeds of militant secularism such as France, Sweden, and Spain. Second, several recent members of the European Union have elected strong pro-family governments, notably Latvia, Slovakia, and Poland. Despite intense pressures from EU bureaucrats in Brussels, these countries have implemented innovative programs to support natural families, grounded in marriage and welcoming towards children.”  It signifies the reality that birth rates in particularly Europe continue to shrink. True there are marginal dissimilarities too in some communities such as France. But this is explained away by influx of Muslims from the Northern African Arab and Turkish backgrounds.[2] This emphasis while practically accurate is not generally healthy as it stresses that there is an inherent difference in cultural out look of the Islamic peoples and the traditional European social-cultural setup.

Why I think it is not a healthy development? It is because it can be used to keep disharmony in developed societies of Europe by referring to this perceived threat from Muslim environments from within these communities. While the indigenous lower classes have – in a panic, but rationally – begun to vote in ever growing numbers for so-called populist, “islamophobe” politicians, the European establishment politicians and mainstream media are discussing how to revive the European Constitution which the voters in France and the Netherlands rejected last year. Instead of trying to prevent an impending clash of cultures, the establishment politicians are totally absorbed in efforts to circumvent the rejection of their constitutional project.[3] Some countries and leaders think that the existing compact is not progressive enough  whereas some consider that the present  setup is not strong enough on ethical, historical  and moral considerations of mankind[4]. There have been certain very sad happenings in the recent past in Europe which have been  cited to endorse such Islamapboic ideas. These very tragic happenings  are  regretfully borne out by such  incidents as  assassinations of Pim Fortuyn and Theo van Gogh, the bombings in Madrid and London, the French riots or the Danish cartoon case. These have been termed as  “warnings” to even the most benign establishments in Europe’s where politicians are talking about rewriting the Constitution of Europe!

I feel that political references of this kind may have some place in a rhetorical manner about  the far reaching impact that such ideologies may espouse. I think, however, that  greater forbearance and understandings are needed. We have before us a noble task. We have a goal that transcends these ephemeral vicissitudes of time and passing  requirements of certain times in history or of certain political leadership which have  certain  established mindset. I think therefore that we should cater for spreading the basic message of this conference that different cultures have a diverse outlook to life and the institution of the Family. It is our combined objective to ensure that this wider coalescing of good faith in ensuring that this institution remains the “core” of our future development is  kept aloft.

Quite plainly the message of keeping the Family as the fundamental institution of mankind is essentially the contribution in philosophical terms  over long periods of history by the great monotheistic Faiths of this world. In this respect Christians, both Catholic and Protestants have played a key role. But clearly in the current political cum social realities, this mantle of   ambassadorial advocacy on behalf of the Family has been carried by the Islamic peoples. My own several writings strongly echo this reality.[5]

Throughout its history Islamic faith has been both deeply cherished and misunderstood for its emphasis on enveloping the entirety of a person’s life with its normative structure of rules of conduct and precepts. Amongst the major norms of such expected behavior are those that are devised to apply to the institution of the human family, children and women. Simultaneously, the jurisprudence and moral philosophy of the faith also acutely focuses on the larger matter pertaining to the subject of human rights of mankind.

But in recent times there is an ostensible tussle in progress between the conservative elements of such societies and the advocates of modernistic attitudes. The modernistic thinking to which I refer is grounded on secular postulates which “indicate” that some traditional norms of accepted behavior qua the Family are in “violation” of the current relevant norms of the philosophy of human rights. It is also maintained by other elements, in particular the governments in important Islamic states, that it is necessary for economic progress to “modify” previously held views on issues of contemporary significance.

Reference can made as an illustration to “reproductive health” which means family planning. For instance as Rapporteur of two major international UN sponsored conferences on the “rights” of the Family and the Child in Islamabad last May in 2005, I frankly reported that “rules” of “law” and not merely soft international law was being made by Islamic nations and major Asian countries. The areas that were focused upon pertained to “rights” that were of “reproductive” kind and those loosely referred to as “spanking” practices. I think that there is little doubt that most Muslim countries are in progress towards embracing “family planning” practices.  In countries such as Pakistan or Turkey where there is very vocal presence of conservative Islamic environment, the State apparatus is already busy devising strategies to counter such opposition. In Pakistan, as I have reported in my Report on the May 2005 UN Regional Family Conference, the Federal government obtained “fatwa’s” from pliable Muslim clerics of nondescript note, to vouchsafe the absence of any such dogma in the Shari’a on it.

Regrettably the Western NGOs, who are otherwise very active in such matters, did nothing of any note to counter this kind of propaganda.[6] Literally there was little help or support from such friendly NGOs to guide us in third world countries to devise modalities that would go some way to meet the policy declarations by the governments of several Muslim and other Asian countries. I do not know exactly why, but could it be that it was unconsciously thought as such developments had little impact in the West, it was best to politely ignore such Declarations? 

Such secular attitudes are on the other hand manifestly evident in the policies and state declarations of several advanced Western countries.  It is equally obvious that to exert friendly pressure on many such Islamic nations, mostly belonging to the developing category, substantial investment of funds is in progress. This is bound to affect the mores of such societies while certainly influencing their governments. Compared to such current “liberal” Western thinking on moral issues concerning the Family, the humanitarian postulates and dogmas of Islam are heavily grounded on principles of high morality. It is this quality of fierce attachment to these ancient teachings that keeps the Islamic family together in almost the same moorings with which it began its traditions hundreds of years ago. But are the about to change? What effect, for instance, did the Doha Declaration have on such an evolution? 

Philosophical Controversies of Current Issues

But I must hasten to add that any dilution in the ethos of traditional Islamic norms would be a disturbing to the religious practices of its millions of adherents. Such thinking would also affect the peoples of other Nations that direly need such ethical mores to keep afloat their own cultural value systems in an international social milieu rapidly losing such values in the wake of contemporary “progress”.  But regrettably, as it would be noticed, such “dilution” within Islamic countries seems already in process.     

Throughout its history it has been a deeply cherished objective of Islamic faith to emphasize on enveloping the entirety of a person’s life with its normative structure of rules of conduct and precepts. Amongst the major norms of such expected behavior are those that are devised to apply to the institution of the Family. Islam has also considerable amount of substantive rules that govern the matter of human rights. But whereas in Western legal evolution the weight of such human rights’ normative seems to be developing evidently an anti-Family philosophy, the thrust of Islamic jurisprudence and Shariah seems to clearly accommodate both the corpus of human rights ideology and those basic necessary rules that create for the flourishing of the Family.   

The evolution of these norms and concepts in the international legal field has been such that in respect of crucial details, there is a visible tendency to have the rights of the Family give up some of its historical and inherent hierarchal position and status in the society to specific and newly developed “rules” in the broader field of human rights. The problem that we are thus faced with is simple. Some of the “changes” that are currently advocated by a sizeable segment of liberal based ideologues are such that they aim to denude the very foundations and grundnorms of the institution of the family as to of the institution of the family as to adversely affect its well-being and character. These challenges emanate from principally two sources, viz., the liberal facets of contemporary thinking about human rights and perceivable trends at the UN while codifying newer evolutionary norms of this law.

Undeniably the positive role that Faith and Religion play in the public life of any community is tremendously immense. Even amongst the most “progressive societies” of modern times the relevance of Faith can never be exaggerated. Given the peculiar political and societal realities of this millennium, in the Third World context Islam’s significance needs to be specially noted. The perennial support that Family as an institution has evinced from confines of doctrinaire Islam is by itself comprehensive both legally and sociologically! An understanding of this fact would provide us with a true glimpse of the rationale why Muslim countries are always advocating the continued historical continuity of the Family as the core and fundamental group unit of our civilizations, regardless of the nature of Religion of the concerned communities[7].

Background

Islam’s contributions to this subject are a living tribute to the strength of the Faith to protect and enhance the status of the Family as the crucial nucleus of our civilization’s civic life. The Quran contains many direct commands for the purpose of keeping the Family in tact. Such mandates apply regardless of geography or ethnic specificity as such instructions are binding on everyone.[8] Furthermore, apart from ethical and moral injunctions, Islamic compendium of teachings on matters connected with the concept of matrimony and man-woman relationship, have a codified criminalization of laws relating to what may be described as wrongs qua this status of traditional marriage.

As such same sex union, howsoever described will be a serious legal wrong in an Islamic society. In the Indian Penal Code 1860, initially drafted by McCauley, vide Section 377, had called this “deviant” action be an “unnatural offence.” This is factually still the position in Pakistan and many other Muslim countries. Hence both by the weight of the teachings of the Faith and the contents of the prevalent legal systems, philosophically and by jurisprudence, Muslim countries stand solidly behind the institution of the “traditional” Family.[9]

The first question that needs some explanation from me would be the scope and vires or validity of the Shariah laws. Islamic Law, or Shari’a, is derived from the Quran and the Hadith.  The Quran is considered to be direct revelation from God through Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam.  The Quran contains Meccan Surahs that were revealed from the year 611 A.D to the year 622 A.D.  The Medinan Surahs were revealed from the year 622 A.D until Muhammad’s death in the year 632 A.D.  The Hadith are traditions, revealed by Muhammad, not God, but are considered divine since Muhammad was the Prophet.  It is important to note that Hadith are described as authentic, inauthentic, or even weak, depending on who they came from.

In the context of Islamic family obligations this status is defined as “a human social group whose members are bound together by the bond of blood ties and or marital relationship”[10] The Quranic injunctions created the basic framework of such obligations. The major thrust of such injunctions was to ameliorate the position of women and to grant to daughters rights and privileges ignored by the ancient customs which were present at the advent of Islam. “These Quranic reforms, as well as customary practice, constitute the substance of classical family law” in Muslim philosophy.[11]

The basic perception of marriage, which is considered to be the foundation of family life, is in the nature of “the strongest bond”[12] that exists in human relations. Surah 4: An-Nisa allows marriage of choice but forbids husband from inheriting the wife’s property against her will.[13] According to Quran men and women have equitable and proportionate rights and responsibilities in a family. In order to preserve the survival of the family unit and to ensure the viability of the institution it has been provided that the weaker elements in this unit have higher levels of protection. As such the Quran allows the rights of women not only in the context of marriage[14], protection from slander[15], maintenance[16], and care of children.[17]. The cumulative quintessence of these diverse injunctions regarding the family as a social unit signifies that laws of Divine origin are in place to ensure the integrity of this unit.

In this scheme of the preservation of the family as a unit in a society described briefly above, the Islamic message seems to be to:

1. To ensure   marriage between a man and a woman is based on free consent.

2. Preserve the economic viability of the wife.

3. Make the off spring, with great emphasis on the females of this union, an integral part of this unit in which they not only owe various duties of loyalty and respect to parents in return the parents must exert their best moral influence on them.

4. The position of women is specifically deserving of attention as it is enjoined upon Muslims to care, cater and look after kindly the females amongst them

In light of such lofty principles it must not be concluded that such indeed is the practice amongst Muslims generally. This is sadly not the case at all. I am myself an ardent critic of Islamic leadership because of its visible failings on many matters that are of significance to people as human beings. Also to be kept in mind is the fact that many Governments of Muslim states are essentially dictatorships. The primary aim of most of such governments is not to serve its citizens but to devise strategies of self-preservation.[18] So along with the non-application of some of the essential rules of the Shari’a laws affecting family, many other laws of a public nature also sadly await enforcement.

I felt that in this context that although the Doha conference was in an Islamic milieu and doctrinally ought to have typified the aspirations and needs of the Third World, or at least of the Islamic World, it was actually devoted to attending problems of primarily the Western World.[19] One tangible result of this Doha Conference was the creation of the Doha Institute of Family Studies.[20] Exactly a year ago I visited Qatar and saw the Institute and its projected work.  I think that it is a right step in a Third World setting.[21] However it remains to be seen how successful it may be towards in its operations and work in the fields and manner indicated above.[22]

Conclusions

1. I think I have said enough to emphasize that Muslim states and Islamic peoples as well as of many Third World Nations have always when need was felt risen to help the causes of concern that have pre-dominantly a Western  complexion.  Most recently in the UN Human Rights Commission meetings in Geneva, it again fell to the Muslim countries to defeat a highly organized move of the biggest coalition of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgender group sever gathered at a UN meeting to cater for the adoption of the “sexual orientation” resolution which, if adopted, would adversely and steadily affect any real advances in pro Family world-wide efforts.[23] This impressive contribution began at the end of the 59^th Session of the UNHRC in 2003 when five Islamic countries led by Pakistan, with the help of this author, ( and other countries being Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia) after delaying a vote by moving several Amendments had the Resolution debate adjourned to 2004.[24] In 2004 during the 60^th Session once again it fell to the Muslim countries to force Brazil on the 29th March to seek postponement of this measure until 2005.

2. I think that it is evident that Family as an institution has generated great reverence over the centuries the World over. In more contemporary times it has been challenged, particularly with respect to the institution of “marriage” by secular and other forces whose ideologies permit a kind of orientation in which it is   allowed that a "union" need not be between a man and a woman. However, in the Third World and the Islamic countries generally, this   kind of    phenomenon is not really a cause much concern.

3. It is also clear by facts and data that the demographic winter is essential a European matter but of great concern to family protagonists. However, European regional institutions are already at work to do something positive about this trend and its expected consequences. According a member of the European Social and Economic Committee, it is indeed urgent that the European Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and the European Commission "support within the frame of the subsidiarity principle the signature of a European contract for the family among member states".

   Such contracting parties would commit themselves to[25]:

   1. "develop policies meeting the needs of the population in terms of the number of desired children" by granting adequate social and schooling systems.

   2. "establish a minimum level of public expenditures that should be granted to families and to children to avoid that they could be squeezed by collective costs of the ageing populations because such issues could be seen as essential by ageing voters".

   3. "promote a world favorable to families, fathers and children" by taking into consideration new ways of living and of working, since "it is necessary to propose efficient measures in order to avoid a too high pressure on young people old enough to raise children."

   4. "Have sustainable policies in favor of childhood and of families".

   So we have some reasonable hypothesis for with which to look forward to for securing the major aims of Family as a core institution of the human race.

4. That of great significance is the operations of the NGOs. I have no doubt that without the support of these institutions we cannot hope to make much progress towards our cherished goals. 

ADDENDUM: To nurture Free, Vital and Productive Families

Before concluding let me refer to an optimistic goal that clearly lies ahead of us. It is the aim of this conference that we all fervently wish to have in future the following motto before us: “We will nurture Free, Vital and Productive Families.” It is   highly necessary that we keep a positive perspective in front of us for planning. Without getting bogged down with questions  of doctrinal and perspective diversity let us concentrate on creating proper environments in which we can develop free, healthy and productive family structures.

Indeed I suggest that it would add greatly to an international awareness if we were to coalesce the efforts of primary European and International intergovernmental organizations in which the avowed priorities and needs of a cross cultural nature but essentially connected with the aspirations of the Third World are primarily focused upon.  To promote the transmission of valuable family related cultural tradition and the development of family culture, morality and a healthy atmosphere of civilized behaviour, it is necessary to encourage such perspectives, thinking and trends.

If such framework of harmony is practically realized it is going towards the far reaching goals of the human race as epitomized by such landmark international objectives as MDG and the evolution of texts of high authority internationally in which the essence of family has been projected with focused emphasis.

With concepts of world becoming a global village finding greater velocity and supporters, it is axiomatic that to evolve a healthy youth and family related framework,  effort must be made to seek harmony by these diverse modalities as outlined in my thoughts presented today to this august audience.  More so such human and NGO type endeavours should be directed towards cross cultural dialogue to ensure the input from all relevant ethnic, religious and traditional heritages.

Also to be kept in mind are factors such as prevailing ideological viewpoints on health and social integration, particularly in multinational and multi-ethnic communities. Moreover we have to keep in mind the thrust of public policies and practices reflecting prevailing ideological perspectives on important issues in such communities as well. We argue for culturally appropriate public policies that value diversity and social dynamics. We suggest that substantive health reform is best pursued through a democratic movement that challenges dominant ideological commitments.

We should welcome and nurture local distinctiveness and creativity with a view to creating a new family-friendly social atmosphere. With the aims of having a free from drug society, it would be helpful to have Life-long monitoring when necessary; yet with appropriate identification, treatment, and self-care, an addict can live a productive substance-free life.

We should endeavor to create a culture which admonishes clearly abuse, neglect or problem behavior that cause children and family situations to be less than fully harmonious within their family environment. An independent and productive life, free from abuse, and is the ultimate aim of all vigorous   communities that cater for good family life. The heart of “Productivity” is much needed through communication.  A Family Nurturing Affairs department at city level of governance would also greatly assist such a program as I advocate. We would help in the creation of such a moral code of Family members that should assist in out in the goal s articulated above.

Endnotes:

[1] While “family” is defined by a number of texts of high authority, it is self evident that the conception this term is not uniform depending upon from where one views this matter. The Eastern, Islamic and many Third World connotations of family are much broader than the ones commonly found in Europe or North America.

[2] In the U.S. fertility rate is 2.11 births per woman, which is a level that demographers consider replacement level. But other parts of the world are in serious trouble. The overall fertility rate for Europe is only 1.3. In Italy, it’s 1.2. In it is again Spain 1.1. These kinds of numbers are depressing for many of the activists of a robust family structure. Consider Russia, with a fertility rate of 1.2. Britain is also below replacement level, at 1.6 births per woman. So is France, at 1.89 -- and a third of those births are not of the French, but of the new Muslim community that has moved into the country. Plainly put, France will very soon become a country that is not French at all.

[3]  There is a movement  in Europe to rewrite the so called contract of Europe

[4] Last January the Polish president H.E. Mr Lech Kaczynski thought  that Euroe should draft a new text because the one currently on the table pushes for more integration than the citizens are willing to accept. “That constitution created a certain hybrid, which was not a European superstate yet, but was not that far from it,” he said. Adam Bielan, the spokesman of Law and Justice (PiS), Mr Kaczynski’s party, said that Europe should focus on more pressing matters rather than “waste time” trying to revive the “dead” Constitution. The Constitution of Europe  must be ratified by all. The  recent negative decisions  in this respect by  France and the Netherlands have thus apparently  closed the matter for the time being.

[5] See my work Women’s Position in Family Laws  of Muslim Nations: Needed Reforms An analysis of such laws in context of implementing Shari’a,  paper presented at 7^th Annual World BYU Family forum, 10th July, 20006

[6] Except for some Catholic organizations that did articulate an endorsement of my views. See further e.g. Stanley Kunz, Beyond Gay Marriage, The Weekly Standard, and February 2, 2004.

[7] Islamic countries support has kept in tact the pivotal issues relating to historical characteristics of the Family at the leading international organizations’ debates. This support has enabled Church and pro family institutions to work towards the retention of the traditional values of this societal core unit of mankind. But some important Church denominations have acted against this “moral” trend, e.g., by the induction of admittedly gay priest Gene Robinson as a Bishop by the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire on June 7, 2003

[8] A leading author, sums up such totality of obligations qua the family by saying:  “The family bond entails mutual expectations of rights and obligations that are prescribed by religion, enforced by law and observed by group members. These pertain to identity and provision, inheritance and counsel; affection for the young and security for the aged, maximization of effort to ensure the Family continuity in Peace.” See Ati. H.A., Islam in Focus, p 114, American Trust Publications, Plainfield, 1975

[9] The present author presented the Arguments of the Pro Family protagonists, Care & Focus on the Family, in Geneva in 2003 when the  Sexual Deviation Resolution came up for vote and debate before the he Human Rights Commission  moved by Brazil. It was only because of last minute filibuster by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that the Matter could no be voted upon.  It was again because of these countries’  efforts that it could not be so tabled  when supported by many countries including  Canada and several European countries

[10] Abdalati, H., Islam in Focus, American Trust Publications, Plainfield, Indiana, 1975, pp113-114.

[11] Espositio J.L. Women in Muslim Family Law, Syracuse University Press, 1982, p13

[12] Islam in Focus, ibid. p 114.

[13] Ali, A.Y. The meaning of the Holy Quran, Amana Publications, Beltsville, Maryland, 1995, pp 184,190.

[14] E.g. see Surah 2: Al Baqarah, 228

[15] E.g. see Surah 24: Al- Nur: 4-5,23

[16] E.g. see Surah 2: Al-Baqarah, 241

[17]  See, ibid, 233

[18] This was essentially my major critique of the well known Doha Declaration and the proceedings that led to it its adoption. Despite being created in an Islamic atmosphere, there was the total neglect in this process of the failing in this respect of the Muslims themselves.

[19]  I have authored many articles on this matter. For illustrative purposes reference may be made to:  http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/Doha_Conference/Views/03.shtml interview on Doha Conference http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/Doha_Conference/views/07.shtml Dated: 2/7/05 From Sanya to Geneva http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/Doha_Conference/Views/03.shtml Dated: 11/0/04 Doha: Limitations of Doha Declaration http://www.unitedfamilies.org/DohaAnalysis_Hassan.asp Article UFI 2/7/05 http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/Doha_Conference/views/05.shtml IOL Article on Islam’s Contribution to Family, 12/22/04 http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/Doha_Conference/views/06.shtml IOL First critique on Doha, 1/26/05

[20] The newly established Institute owes its doctrinal and visionary foundations to the ideas of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missnad, Consort of His Highness the Emir of Qatar.

[21] See this author’s article: Doha Family Institute: foundations for optimism:  paper presented at the Eighth Annual Meeting of the Pakistan  Family Forum at Lahore on the International Family Day, 16^th May, 2006. Also available on BYU website of World Policy Center.

[22] Since 2005 the Doha Family Institute’s academic work has been mainly concerned with organizing small regional conferences on the family in Africa and European settings.

[23] See note 9 supra

[24] Pakistan distributed a Memo to the 53 Member Commission at the end of 2003 Session stating boldly: “Resolution directly contradicts the tenets of Islam and other religions” and that its “approval would be direct insult to the 1.2 billion Muslims around the world.” This is indeed a memorable action by Islamabad for the defense of the Family.

[25] According to Stéphane Buffetaut, it is clear that "a European commitment to face the demographic deficit is highly necessary." The more and more worrying statistics are the occasion to display former analyses that haven't got old such as the one explained by the Article 16 of the UN Universal declaration of human rights which states:" the family is the natural and fundamental pillar of the society: It deserves the protection of the state and of the society" ( See Euro News, 07 -14-04: European Contract against   Demographic winter.)