1. Activity 33 Belgium’s League of Families The Bond By
Karen Bogenschneider
University of Wisconsin-Madison
This PowerPoint provides an overview of an impressive example of a family movement working for and with families to provide services and advocate on behalf of their political, material
material, social, and cultural needs.
Instructors can supplement the
information in the PowerPoint with
the description in the text.
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2. Belgium’s League of Families The Bond
Pluralistic and nongovernmental organization that began in 1921
Unites 310,000 families in Flanders and Brussels, or more than 1 million men, women, and children in Flanders and Brussels
Families pay membership fees of about $25 and receive 1.5 times this fee back in discounts
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3. The Aims of the Bond To promote solidarity between families
To promote the interests of all families
To work towards a family- and child-oriented climate in society
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4. To Reach these Aims, the Bond
Organizes political action on behalf of families
Promotes social life at the local level
Provides direct services to families
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5. The Bond’s Organizational Structure
Aim of the Bond is to organize families to work on their own behalf
The Bond is organized locally (993 branches), regionally (33 regions), provincially (five provinces), and centrally
180 paid staff are supported by 13,000 volunteers who are elected every six years
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6. The Bond’s Activities Organizes political action on behalf of families
Promotes social life at the local level
Provides direct services to member families
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7. Successful Political Initiatives
Preserving child allowances
Making family impact assessment of government policies compulsory
Implementing tax reform
Supporting work and family initiatives
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8. Successful Political Initiatives
Laying the groundwork for children to be heard in divorce proceedings
Ensuring the right of grandparents to see their grandchildren
Banning television advertising five minutes before and after children’s television programs
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9. Methods of Accomplishing Political Objectives
Organizes rallies
Encourages regional representatives to contact politicians
Prepares press releases and leaflets for distribution
Establishes commissions to study important aspects of family policy
Launches a five-year program to follow economic and social trends in order to formulate new policies
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10. Methods of Accomplishing Political Objectives
Organizes meetings with the press, politicians, and organizations to discuss legislative proposals
Schedules audiences with ministers to present its agenda
Represents families on advisory bodies and management committees
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11. Promoting Social Life at the Local Level
Offers recreational sports for young and old
Provides a range of quality children’s films
Organizes children’s clubs and workshops
Organizes family camps and vacations in Austria
Provides educational newsletters for parents/grandparents
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12. Provides Direct Services to Families
In 2000, volunteers provided child care for 200,000 children and elder care for 19,565 seniors
Organizes second-hand markets
Provides its members with counseling services, consumer complaint advice, and social and legal assistance
Provide discounts of 3 percent to 10 percent for food, shoes, toys, clothing, and furniture
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13. The Bond Differs from U.S. Advocacy Groups
The Bond focuses on families, whereas U.S. organizations tend to focus on individuals
The Bond advocates for families of several political persuasions, whereas U.S. organizations tend to promote a single ideology
The Bond is organized at the national, state, and local levels, whereas U.S. advocacy is organized primarily at the national level
© Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

14. The Value of the Bond is that . . .
“If there wasn’t
a Bond in Belgium, someone
would have to
invent one.”
Luke DeSmet
(1995)
© Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014