The International Family Forum concluded in Istanbul on Friday with a strong call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to defend and strengthen traditional family structures amid global challenges.

Organised under the theme "Safeguarding and Strengthening Family in the Face of Global Challenges", the two-day event brought together policymakers, experts and civil society representatives to explore the evolving role of the family and the threats it faces in modern society.

The forum is the clearest indication of the importance Türkiye places on the family institution, Erdogan said during his speech at the forum.

"Family is one of the most important institutions in human history and for humanity itself. Family is so important, valuable and sacred that no other institution, relationship or bond can replace it," he said.

"Societies in which the family collapses, disintegrates or wears down are doomed to languish, degenerate, fall apart and eventually die.

"It is our fundamental duty to combat any threats or attacks on the family, as well as to glorify and strengthen the family institution. To defend the family means to defend the human being.

"Protecting the family sustains society; fostering the family builds the future," he said.

'Decade of Family and Population'

The Turkish president warned that globalisation, modernisation and digitalisation are accelerating changes that weaken the traditional family unit.

"As our lives become more digitalised in every way, many traditional institutions, most notably the concept of family, are losing meaning.

"While humanitarian values are eroding, a self-centred mindset is replacing a society-centred perspective.

"We are aware that the modern era is causing significant harm to many human values as well as the family institution," he said.

He also pointed to recent data from Türkiye's statistical agency showing the country's fertility rate has dropped to 1.48, below the critical replacement level of 2.1, calling the situation a "disaster".

To address the issue, Erdogan announced the launch of a decade-long policy initiative, designating 2026-2035 as the "Decade of Family and Population".

The programme will include broad reforms ranging from education and urban planning to social policy, all aimed at strengthening the family, according to the Turkish president.

The forum is organised under the auspices of Türkiye's Family and Social Services Ministry as part of the country's 2025 Year of the Family initiative.

The event featured a ministerial session and four panel discussions: "Highly profitable: The cost of global challenges to individuals, families and society", "Between fiction and reality: Family in culture, art and media", "Being a family in the age of screens" and "The Myth of overpopulation: How a global agenda contributed to decline of populations".