A/HRC/31/37 recognition of the various forms of family, depending on different cultural, political and social systems, as well as the changes undergone by the family as a social institution;13 (c) the recognition of the principle of gender equality and that family policies should be based on and promote respect for equality between men and women;14 (d) the need for special protection of family members who may be in a situation of vulnerability, including children, youth, the elderly or people with disabilities; 15 and (e) the integration of universal access to reproductive health services, including family planning and sexual health, as part of development efforts.16 16. Despite that consensus, family issues gradually lost saliency in subsequent development platforms. For instance, neither the Millennium Declaration nor its follow-up process contained any reference to the family. Nevertheless, the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals could not be divorced from family policies, particularly those related to poverty reduction, child and maternal mortality and children’s education.17 17. The year 2014 marked the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and coincided with international debates regarding the post-2015 development agenda, focusing on the three related themes of poverty eradication, work-family balance and intergenerational solidarity. 18 The commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the Year returned family policies to the centre of the social protection agenda and highlighted the need for family-centred interventions as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development.19 B. Status of the family in relation to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 18. Adopted in September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights the role of families as development actors and expressly commits States to provide children and youth with a nurturing environment for the full realization of their rights and capabilities, including through cohesive communities and families. 20 The Sustainable Development Goals and targets reflect a broad range of objectives that are important for the protection of the family and its members, and for the realization of the right to an adequate standard of living for all families. In addition, families are recognized as key actors in the transmission of values that are vital for making the sustainable 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 6 Conference on Population and Development, principle 9, para. 5.8.; and Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, para. 80. See also Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat Agenda, para. 31; International Conference on Population and Development, principle 9, paras. 5.1-5.6; and Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, para. 80. Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, paras. 29 and 113-125; International Conference on Population and Development, principle 9, paras. 4.1-4.14; and Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, para. 81(a). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, para. 29; Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat Agenda, paras. 31 and 40(l); International Conference on Population and Development, principle 11, para. 5.8-5.13; Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, para. 81(c). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, paras. 94-97 and 281(e); Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements and the Habitat Agenda, paras. 127 (c) and 136 (f); International Conference on Population and Development, paras. 3.18 and 7.1-7.28. See A/66/62-E/2011/4, para. 7. See Economic and Social Council resolution 2011/29, para. 4. See General Assembly resolution 66/126, para. 4. See General Assembly resolution 70/1, annex, para. 25.