The National Commission for the Family has finally been set up to advise the government and suggest measures to promote the well-being of families in the context of the rapid social changes taking place.

The commission’s tasks include studying the impact of legislation on the family and, where necessary, proposing and promoting new laws, ensuring the fundamental rights of every human being are adequately safeguarded.

It also has to examine the effects of economic changes on families and ensure they benefit from any advances.

The commission will be examining social welfare and fiscal benefits as well as other services and policies to ensure they are designed in a way that strengthens the family unit. It will also promote and ensure the integration of social and family policies at all levels.

The House has a Permanent Committee for the Family but the family commission had taken its time to be appointed, so much so that the Labour Party had recently appealed to the government to set it up as soon as possible.

Natalie Kenely, a social worker and member of the Maltese Association of Social Workers, is the commission’s chairman.

Dr Kenely graduated in social work and psychology from the University of Malta and her PhD in social work focused on emotional intelligence and transformational leadership within organisations.

She is also a full-time lecturer in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work within the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy. She chairs the faculty’s research ethics committee.

The commission’s deputy chairman is Frances Galea and Gejtu Vella, Godwin Grima, Clara Sammut Scerri, Andrew Azzopardi, Ramona Frendo, Angele Formosa, Sina Bugeja, Angela Abela, Mary Anne Lauri and Maria Fatima Deguara are members. Lorraine Sultana is the secretary.