The family -a key institution in people 's lives - tends to be examined as though it were static and immutable over time. This paper seeks to shed some light on the changes which have affected the family in a broader socio-economic and cultural context,highlighting the processes of modernization and modernity and their effects on families,by making a diagnostic study of families in the region which describes the changes that have taken place,the diversity of families in different socioeconomic strata,and their heterogeneous structures,according to their type and the stage reached in the family life cycle.In addition to showing the increasing economic inequality between families,the study also highlights the various types of cultural changes to which the family has been subjected,including demographic changes,the growing number of households headed by women,and the increasing participation of women both in the labour market and in the social and political domains.