“The poverty of families depends on a complex system of interactions, in which the challenges and opportunities generated by the economic context unites with the resources and fragility of the relational systems, always influenced undeniably by the public politics” is the quotation that started the first expert meeting in Vatican, called upon by the International Observatory on Family, outcome of the practice imparted by Pope Francis to approach real family situations by leaving the research centres.

In this first expert meeting, coordinated by UCAM and chaired by José Luis Mendoza, president of this university (which is the head office of the Observatory), many representants from international institutions attended. For example, from Pontificio Instituto Juan Pablo II, del Centro Internazionale di Studi sulla Famiglia, from Dicasterio de laicos Familia y Vida, de la European Large Families Confederation, from the Federation of Catholic Family Association in Europe and from the general secretary of Caritas Internationalis, Michel Roy.

It should be noted, that Caritas Internationalis participates as a preferential partner by offering their network on five continents to be able to gather the realest information possible, included the smaller populations. In this a way, the annual rapport that the Observatory offers, reflects on the reality of ‘family’ reliably in all the contexts and locations.

Numerous other centres from around the world have united to the centres mentioned to give a local vision on the investigation: between others, coming from Mexico, Argentine, Chile, United States, Libanon, Qatar, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland, Italy, Spain, Benin, Kenya, Mozambique, etc. All in all, there are more than 30 people participating from 25 different institutes. The first outcomes of this investigation shall be published in May 2020, with the first rapport on “family and relational poverty: resources and fragilities, opportunities and challenges in families and in the society”.

This new institute saw light in 2018, looking to invest in a method where the families are approached: if in the past the perspective was from above to downwards, in which case theoretical decisions were distant to the problems of the society. Now, it is from down towards above, with the intent to observe the ‘family’ of today, with humbleness and realism, with all of its shades and colours, without cultural or ideological prejudices.

The institute searches to establish an objective dialogue with families, without forgetting the civil governments and experts of any industry related to ‘family’, to give a global solution to a global problem.