The Lithuanian Parliament will soon debate a proposal (Resolution on the Ratification of the State’s Political Concept of Family) that formally and legally defines the concept of family, as well as the major problems facing Lithuanian families.

The committee in charge of preparing the bill has close ties to conservative groups and the Catholic Church. Not surprisingly, the law project defines the concept of family in a narrow manner, affirming that marriage is the base of the family and limiting marriage to a man and a woman.

This raises concerns that the language in the bill could eventually be used to deny benefits, assistance and recognition to non-traditional families, including families composed of cohabitating couples, single parents and gay and lesbian couples.

The bill further stresses that some of the main functions of family are procreation and the development of individuals’ gender identity—including knowledge of the roles of men and women within the family and in society.

The bill’s authors, including Rima Baskiene, head of Parliament’s Family and Children Affairs Commission, also identified the alleged major problems facing Lithuanian families and delineated strategies that could be adopted by the Lithuanian government to address these purported threats to the family.

Among the challenges the bill claims are faced by families in Lithuania are:

• The number of marriages has decreased. Although an small increase was observed from 2005 to 2006, the number of couples tying the knot in Lithuania decreased from 36,300 in 1990 to 21,200 in 2006.
• The average age at marriage for men and women has increased. In 2000, the average age at marriage for men was 26 years and for women was 24 years. By 2006, these figures were 27 and 25 respectively.
• The average age at first childbirth for women has risen from 23 years (1994) to 25 years (2006).
• Increasing numbers of individuals between 18- and 24-years old are cohabitating without marrying.

It is unclear on what basis the author consider these demographic indicators to be a threat to the health of families and children in Lithuania.

Compiled from: Draft Project on the Family Policy Concept:  Nutarimas del Valstybines Seimos Politikos Koncepcijos Patvirtinimo Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas; Inga Saukiene, Siulomas Paramos šeimai pagrindu istatymas gali prieštarauti Konstitucijai (Draft Law on Family Support may Contradict the Constitution).