Viktor Azarenok: caring for children is one of the priority areas of our country's state policy
June 1, 2025
Viktor Azarenok: Child welfare is a top priority of our country's state policy
Belarus is a social state, and caring for children, who make up 20% of the country's population, is one of the priority areas of our policy. Today, a stable legislative and social framework for supporting families and children has been established in our country, with their well-being enshrined at the constitutional level. This opinion was shared with an sb.by correspondent by Viktor Azarenok, a Member of the House of Representatives.
The parliamentarian noted that social protection, medical care and rehabilitation, education and upbringing, leisure and employment of children are areas that are clearly regulated and coordinated by the state.
— Child welfare in Belarus actually begins even before birth, — Viktor Azarenok emphasized. — Expectant mothers receive paid sick leave for 126 calendar days, and parental leave lasts for 3 years and is one of the longest in the world. The state also guarantees a lump-sum benefit upon the birth of a child and a monthly childcare allowance, and large families are also entitled to maternity capital.
Viktor Azarenok notes that our education system, unlike in most European countries, covers children from the earliest age. Currently, 53.2% of children under three years of age attend preschool institutions, which is one of the highest rates in the world. Children of preschool and early age are not just "looked after" in preschool educational institutions, but also develop qualitatively and learn within a full educational process. The Member of the House of Representatives observes that in many European countries, the education and upbringing of children under 3 years of age fall under the competence of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and are essentially just care and supervision.
— A unified state curriculum is established for all kindergartens in Belarus, which ensures equal opportunities for all children to receive quality education and upbringing, — Viktor Azarenok added. Today, our children receive free education and medical care, benefits for food and textbooks, and free use of public transport. Students receive scholarships, and gifted students receive well-deserved awards and additional opportunities for development and learning... All of this is real, state support accessible to every child.
Viktor Azarenok also emphasized that great attention is paid to the protection of the rights of orphans and children left without parental care, as well as to the support of family upbringing. Thus, as of today, almost 8,000 children are growing up in 6,000 foster families, about 2,400 in 1,226 adoptive families, over 2,000 in family-type children's homes, and 7,000 children have been adopted.
— In the ranking of happy childhood countries, Belarus ranks 35th out of 175 countries, 25th among the most comfortable countries for motherhood, and is among the top 50 countries for pregnancy management and childbirth organization. And this is the best proof that in our state, children are the main value, — the parliamentarian stated.