Large families called for recognition and financial and social support. Secretary general of ELFAC, Raul Sanchez, gave a speech on “The family, the revolution of the 21st century”.
More than a hundred large families from across Spain gathered this weekend in Badajoz as part of the 15th National Congress of Large Families, organised by the Spanish Federation of Large Families (FEFN) in collaboration with FEFANEX, the Federation of Large Families of Extremadura, to highlight the value of these families and call for support and recognition for their contributions.
The Congress was opened by the Mayor of Badajoz, Ignacio Gragera, and the Regional Minister for Family and Social Services, Óscar Fernández, alongside the presidents of the organising bodies, who all emphasised that the family – and large families in particular (over 850,000 in Spain and 23,000 in Extremadura) – is “the best place to grow up”.
Contribution to society
In line with this idea – the motto chosen for the Congress – the event sought to highlight the values that are acquired, almost naturally, in these households, and the asset they represent for society through their contribution to human capital. They pointed out that large families, which have an average of 3.5 children compared with the current fertility rate of 1.1 in Spain, represent the solution to the demographic winter – a phenomenon that threatens the sustainability of the welfare state for future generations – and that, thanks to these families, this trend can be reversed. These families provide future contributors to the social security system and also act as a driving force for the economy due to their high level of consumption of essential goods.
At the Congress, this social contribution was highlighted, and they called for recognition and adequate economic and social protection, with family policies that take their special needs into account and do not exclude any of the children.
Discrimination based on the number of children
In this regard, they have called for an end to the discrimination faced by large families in most social benefits and allowances, which only recognise up to the third or fourth child when calculating income thresholds. To this end, they propose a review of the benefits so that each and every child is taken into account, “because they all have needs in terms of food, clothing, education, etc.”, and the approval of the universal child allowance – a measure that has been on the political agenda for years and was due to become a reality during this parliamentary term, but has not yet been passed.
Awards Ceremony
During the event, the “José Ramón Losana” Large Family Awards were also presented to organisations and individuals who support families. This year’s recipients were the National Association of Foster Families (ASEAF); Paloma Blanc, a mother of nine and author of @7paresdekatiuskas, with over 200,000 followers on Instagram; El Corte Inglés, for its campaign offering discounts on the weekly shop; and Conrado Giménez, founder of the Madrina Foundation, which supports mothers in vulnerable situations.
A day out for the whole family
Following the opening ceremony and the presentation of the Large Family Awards, families were able to enjoy three talks: one on the role of ‘The family: the revolution of the 21st century’, given by Raúl Sánchez, Secretary-General of the European Confederation of Large Families (ELFAC); another focusing on the upbringing of children within the family as “the first school”, by psychiatrist Luis Gutiérrez-Roja, father of seven children; and a third on “The secret of happy families”, presented by Pep Borrell, writer and speake, and a father of five.
Around 300 children
The Large Families Congress, organised every two years, is an event designed for the whole family, with a comprehensive programme for parents and children. This year’s event took place at the Badajoz Fair on Saturday and continued with a family leisure programme on Sunday. During the event at IFEBA, children enjoyed a children’s area with games and workshops for all ages, as well as an active tourism programme for teenagers, featuring a trip down the River Guadiana organised by the Extremadura Canoeing Club.
Leisure and tourism
The family weekend was rounded off with family-friendly leisure and tourism activities. These included a visit to Elvas, a Portuguese town just 10 minutes from Badajoz, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On Sunday, families enjoyed a tour of the Alcazaba, a guided walk that ended at the “Callejeando Food-Fest” – a festival featuring music, food and children’s activities taking place that very weekend in the city, which welcomed large families with discounts on activities and refreshments.
The Congress was sponsored by Ubica and Caja Almendralejo, with the support of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda, Badajoz City Council and the municipality of Elvas (Portugal).
Various local and national companies also collaborated, providing products from Extremadura and baby food, which were distributed during the event and raffled off amongst the families.