The Vatican is launching a research project on the family to be carried out by Catholic universities around the world.

Called the ‘Catholic Global Compact on the Family’, its purpose is to create “a shared program of actions for promoting the family throughout the world in light of the social doctrine of the Church,” a press release said.

According to organisers, “the compact involves the study and research centers on family present in the Catholic universities situated throughout the five continents, by collecting information and research carried out on the cultural and anthropological importance of the family, focusing particularly on family relationships, the social value of the family and good practices of family policies at the international level.”