Second Pan-African Conference on Family Concludes in Kenya with Renewed Conviction to Defend Family Sanctity

She said, “There is a need to come together and grow this continental network and continue to grow the global network.”

The ACPF chairperson reminded delegates of the urgent need for serious and sacrificial investment in countering ideologies that, she warned, continue to threaten African family values, including those promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) agendas.

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“No builder begins without first counting the cost,” she said, explaining that the “costs are in terms of finances, in terms of our time, in terms of everything that we have, just to protect and promote this very important institution.”

Mrs. Ann Mbugua further highlighted the need for intentional and ethical engagement with the critical areas of society that influences family life, including the executive, judiciary, legislature, and the media.

Going forward, she said, “we need to man the gates. These are the gates through which things that attack the family will come through. These are areas that we need to watch and engage with for the family.”

Credit: ACPF

The ACPF official acknowledged the participants’ recognition of the critical place of the youth in upholding family values and the need to equip them adequately, saying, “You cannot be successful without a successor.”

“We owe it to our people and especially the young people who form the bulk of the African population. We engage them, we train them so that they can take over the mantle from us,” she added in her remarks at the end of the three-day deliberations ACPF realized under the theme, “Promoting and Protecting Family Values in Africa.”

The three-day ACPF Family Conference, held from May 12 to 14, preceded a joint celebration of the International Day of Families (IDOF) in which the Government of Kenya on May 15, brought together delegates from across Africa and beyond to discuss family-centered legal reform, parental rights, and strategies to uphold family values in the face of international pressures.

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Discussions also focused on aligning national laws and treaty obligations with cultural and faith-based principles.

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In her closing remarks, the Secretary to the Cabinet of the Government of Kenya affirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the family, describing it as “a strategic pillar for sustainable development, moral formation, and intergenerational equity.”

“The Government of Kenya affirms its enduring partnership with African states, churches, civil society, and regional networks in this noble task,” Mrs. Mercy Wanjau said.

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Mrs. Mercy Wanjau. Credit: ACPF

Mrs. Wanjau said the Kenyan government is “aligned with the aspirations” of the 2nd PACFV, appreciating that challenges facing the family “at the local, at the national, at the regional, and even global level” need to be addressed with “diverse approaches and strategies.”

The top Kenyan government official revealed that the Kenyan Constitution “categorically stipulates that the family is the natural and fundamental unit of society, that it is the necessary basis of social order, and shall enjoy the recognition and protection of the state.”

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The Secretary to the Cabinet, who plays a pivotal role in coordinating and supervising government ministries and state departments, ensuring the effective implementation of national policies and programs, told delegates at the conference that the constitutional provision “creates a positive obligation on the state to protect and to promote the family, and to desist from any action that undermines the family.”

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Weighing in on the IDOF, which ACPF marked jointly with the Government of Kenya on May 15, Mrs. Wanjau said, “This day offers a powerful platform to raise awareness of the social, economic, and demographic trends shaping families today.”

She added, “I'm especially drawn to this year's theme: ‘Family-Oriented Policies for Sustainable Development,’ as it powerfully underscores the essential roles that families play in driving meaningful and lasting developments.”

Mrs. Wanjau expressed hope that the outcome of the conference, which culminates with a Family Symposium on May 16, becomes “a springboard for action in the region, locally, and even globally as we defend life, cherish moral heritage, and ensure that our children inherit not only a livable planet but also a values-driven society.”

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“We remain steadfast in working with you to uphold family dignity, to protect life, and to strengthen the moral and environmental fabric of our beloved continent,” she stated in her May 14 closing remarks.

Credit: ACPF