INTRODUCTION

A family is the foundation of any society. It is an entity that gives real meaning to life and existence. As such, it constitutes the cornerstone of any social system. A family is not a casual or spontaneous organization of people but a divinely ordained institution. The foundation of a family is based on marriage, which is a right to every human being (Haralambos and Holborn, 2008).

The above definition brings out two closely related but separate concepts―family and marriage. The concept of family envisages a more complex system of relationships than marriage because it usually brings together not only the couple but also their children and other relatives and friends. In addition, a family acts as a social unit of society, which is usually very close “to the original” model of the entire society in which it operates