Sustainable Management of Family and Societal Resources: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives

Abstract

The family unit is the foundation of any society, and therefore it is both the custodian and the beneficiary of society's resources. The three pillars of sustainable family development are social equity, economic viability, and environmental conservation. Bearing on this, the paper reviewed the challenges faced by families in African society such as poverty, political instability, unemployment, insecurity, gender inequality, domestic violence, cultural norms, substance abuse, parent- child conflict, and climate change. It further explored the roles of the family in the sustainable development of society as well as the challenges encountered in the sustainable management of scarce family resources. The paper also provides the way forward and policy recommendations.