Milestones in Belarus’ welfare policy over past 30 years highlighted

The Labor and Social Security Ministry commented on the key areas of welfare policy in Belarus over the past 30 years in an interview with BelTA.

In 1998, the state family policy was conceptually formalized. Presidential Decree No. 46 of 21 January 1998 approved the Guidelines for State Family Policy. The first presidential program "Children of Belarus" was adopted then too. All in all, three presidential programs "Children of Belarus" were implemented in 1998-2010.

A little later, in 2002, the law "On Demographic Security of the Republic of Belarus" was adopted. Belarus was the first country among the post-Soviet Union countries to do so.

Already in 2013, the government began to calculate the amount of childcare allowance for children under 3 based on the average monthly salary in the country. This made it possible to almost double its size for all recipients. 

In 2015, the government introduced a family capital program for the birth (adoption) of the third or subsequent child. By 2020, the family capital program was modernized. Parents were granted the right to spend family capital funds ahead of schedule (regardless of the date of appointment) to improve housing conditions, receive paid medical services and education. The same year, parents were given the opportunity to work remotely, and a new type of leave was introduced for fathers at the birth of a child.

Two years later, a new holiday, Father's Day, was established in the country and the amendments were made to the Constitution on family and marriage issues.

The year 2024 saw the new amendments to the Labor Code, which expanded the guarantees of working parents and the law on state benefits.

Written by belta.by