Family institution as a factor in poverty alleviation for sustainable development in Nigeria

Abstract

The family is the very institution to which we owe our humanity. Human beings are brought up in the family. Families exist everywhere on the planet and in different forms. Family experience is necessary to turn a new born into full human being with values and standards and the ability to live harmoniously with other people and contribute to poverty alleviation for sustainable development. Family is a social unit characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain socially approved sexual relationship and one or more children born or adopted. Family is in fact a universal institution. Familys performs and carry out fundamental societal functions and activities necessary for poverty alleviation and thus contribute to sustainable development. Family is regarded as the microcosm of the society, the extent to which the family succeeds in controlling the behavoiurs of its members and carry out its functions depict the level of orderliness and contribution to poverty alleviation and thus sustainable development in a given society.