A/HRC/28/40 28. Several observers highlighted the fact that the protection of the family should be understood as supporting and strengthening families to ensure the fulfilment of the rights of all their members. They observed that many States had failed to protect families adequately, and called for family-friendly policies that recognized and promoted the capacity of strong family bonds, the birthright of all humanity, to serve as a source of society capital and stability for the wider fabric of the universal human family. The point was made that without safe family-based care, children were at greater risk of various forms of exploitation. 29. One observer stated that, as recognized in United Nations human rights treaties, the family was the natural and fundamental group unit of society, and as such was entitled to comprehensive and the widest possible protection and support by society and the State. 30. Delegations and observers posed numerous questions to the panellists, including how States could improve the well-being of families and counter stereotypical views of gender roles within the family. They requested examples of initiatives aimed at ensuring equality, especially gender equality between family members, and asked the panellists to share their experiences on how victims of domestic violence could be supported in claiming their rights. The panel was also asked to suggest concrete measures that could be taken to protect members of the family against abuse and how States could avoid discrimination against families that did not conform to majority family patterns. They asked what States and the Human Rights Council could do to address better the reality of family diversity and how they could help encourage families to transmit values that were consistent with human rights. III. Responses of the panellists 31. In response to the questions, Ms. Mokomane reiterated the importance of a standalone goal on the family in the post-2015 development agenda and/or of mainstreaming issues related to the family in all other goals. She referred to the example of one State which, with a view to mainstreaming HIV issues, had included HIV coordinators in every government administration and department. Building on the remarks of other panellists, she also stressed the importance of evaluating the impact of policy decisions on families and the need for family-friendly policies. In particular, she cited problems with work concepts that continued to be based on the male breadwinner model, despite the fact that more women worked and had child-rearing responsibilities than had previously been the case. 32. Ms. Floriano stressed the need to consider the relationship between family members, including any patterns of violence and power. She highlighted the importance of ensuring that public policies responded to new realities, and the role of civil society organizations in the protection of families, particularly in following up on loopholes and gaps that government institutions had failed to address. 33. Ms. Bogenschneider underscored the role that family impact analysis could play in the context of each of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. For instance, reducing family poverty could involve examining how to improve parenting, childcare and job opportunities for families. Family issues could also be a distinct goal. Family impact assessments could also help identify areas for new policies, such as preparing youth for successful employment, and/or improving mentoring between generations. 34. Highlighting the situation of disadvantaged families, Ms. Wijemanne emphasized that top-down programmes did not always reach those most in need. She called on States to turn such policies around and create family-friendly interventions with community workers who could reach out and identify disadvantaged families and issues of concern. She stressed the fact that, where there was violence within families, there needed to be 8