An effective system of social benefits, guarantees and privileges for families with children has been established in Belarus.
25/10/20120 views
25 October, Minsk /Elena Prus - BELTA/. An effective system of social benefits, guarantees, and privileges for families with children has been established in Belarus. This was stated by Marina Artemenko, Deputy Head of the Department of Population, Gender and Family Policy of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, today at an expert-media seminar in Minsk, as reported by a BELTA correspondent.
The seminar's theme is "Formation and Implementation of the Family (Maternal) Capital Mechanism within the System of Economic Support Measures for Families with Children in the Union State Member States". It is held with the support of the Standing Committee of the Union State, with the participation of representatives from government bodies and organizations of Belarus and Russia, and the media.
"State support for the family is one of the key directions of state social policy and one of the foundations of demographic security," emphasized Marina Artemenko. "In the context of a declining population and a complex demographic situation, the state of the family institution and its degree of stability are the most important indicators of the demographic health of the state."
In Belarus, according to the population census, there are over 2 million 691 thousand families, of which 1 million 200 thousand are families with minor children (45% of the total number of families). The country has established a system of social benefits, guarantees, and privileges for families with children that has proven its effectiveness and has been actively developed during the implementation of the National Demographic Security Programs, the ministry representative stressed.
The provision of legal guarantees begins with the birth of a child. For example, working mothers and other relatives of the child are granted childcare leave until the child reaches the age of 3, with job retention. In 2011, 242 thousand women and 2.4 thousand men took advantage of this leave.
During the same period, a number of state benefits are awarded to families raising children. In total, 10 types of benefits are provided for by legislation. Childcare benefits are paid until the child reaches the age of 3, regardless of the employment and income of the parents, meaning they are provided to almost all families. The benefit amount is 100 percent of the subsistence minimum budget (equivalent to $100). Childcare up to a total of 9 years is counted towards the work record for pension calculation.
The system of state benefits is constantly being improved. Since October 1, 2011, the amounts of lump-sum aid in connection with the birth of the first child, as well as the second and subsequent children, have significantly changed. Their sizes are 10 and 14 BSM respectively. This year, the amounts of benefits for children over 3 years old have increased from 30% to 50% of BSM, as well as for the care of a child with a disability under 18 years of age from 65% to 100% of BSM.
In total, the system of state benefits covers over 447 thousand children (25.8% of their total number). 96% of children under 3 years of age receive family benefits.
To ensure balanced nutrition for young children in low-income families, free food is provided to children in the first 2 years of life. Moreover, when twins and more children are born, this benefit is provided regardless of family income. In 2011, 43.4 thousand children, or almost every fifth child, received baby food products for free.
Upon the birth of twins and more children, a lump-sum payment is made for the purchase of essential baby items in the amount of 2 BSM per child. Families raising triplets or more children can use the services of a nanny free of charge until the children reach the age of 3 years. These services have been provided by territorial centers for social services for the population since 2006. In 2011, the services of 73 nannies for 240 children were in demand.
The preservation of a child's health and the accessibility of home treatment are ensured by providing all children under 3 years of age with free medicines issued by doctor's prescription (within the list of essential medicines).
Significant investments are directed towards the development of the preschool education system. The accessibility of preschool institutions for every family has been ensured. Over the past five years, the coverage rate of children with preschool institutions has been one of the highest among the CIS countries, emphasized Marina Artyomenko. Among all countries in Northeast and Eastern Europe and the CIS, only in three states – the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine – does the coverage of children with preschool education under 3 years of age consistently exceed 15% (in our country – 37.3%). Belarus consistently holds a leading position in the coverage of children aged 3 to 6 years with preschool institutions – 96.4% (Ukraine – 71%, Russian Federation – 70%), including in rural areas – 75.5%. At the same time, 60% of the cost of food is subsidized by the state, with parents paying only 40%."While in the Russian Federation the key measure of support for families with children is maternity capital, in our country unprecedented measures have been provided for improving housing conditions for large families," noted a representative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. "Today, every family raising three or more children can acquire or build housing with state support, practically without using their own funds. A preferential loan for housing construction is provided for 40 years at 1% per annum for the use of the loan. A deferral in the repayment of loan debt and interest on it is granted for the period of parental leave. At the same time, state financial assistance is provided for the repayment of issued loans. Incidentally, in 2012, its volumes were significantly revised. If a family has three minor children, the loan debt is repaid by 75%; if there are four or more minor children, 100%."
Issues of providing children from large families with free meals at schools have been resolved, benefits for paying for textbooks and preschool institutions have been provided, and assistance is rendered annually for the new academic year.
Issues of improving the pension provision for large families are being progressively resolved. Thus, women who have given birth to five or more children and raised them until the age of 8 are granted a pension upon reaching the age of 50 and with a work record of at least 15 years. Regardless of age, a pension is granted to women who have given birth to five or more children and raised them until the age of 16, provided they have worked in collective farms, state farms, and other agricultural enterprises directly in the production of agricultural products for at least 10 years.
Measures adopted in recent years have helped to stabilise the demographic situation and achieve the birth rate indicators established by the National Programme for Demographic Security. In 2011, 109.2 thousand children were born, which is the highest figure in the last 10 years, and the total fertility rate was 1.51. As a result of more intensive birth of second and subsequent children during the period from 2005, their share in the total number of newborns increased from 41.7% to 49.1%.-0-
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