MINSK, 23 June (BelTA) – Benefits to some categories of families with disabled children should be increased, Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Women, Belarus' Labor and Social Security Minister Marianna Shchetkina said at the 5th Belarusian People's Congress on 23 June, BelTA has learned.
In her words, families bringing up children with disabilities need support from the state and the society. “We patronize such families and see that more than one third of them are single-parent families unfortunately. Some, and mainly these are fathers, cannot carry the load. We suggest strengthening the social support for such families and introduce the relevant amendments to the law on benefits,” the minister said.
According to Marianna Shchetkina, the matter is about the benefits paid to families with children under 18 with severe disabilities such as the third or fourth health-loss degree. Parents with disabled children should also be provided with the right to have a part-time job, in addition to getting a full-size allowance.
As for the employment regulations for women with children under three, the minister stressed that the manufacturing process has been gradually modernizing with the use of cutting-edge equipment, which significantly improves working conditions. “Today women can work without any detriment to their health. We suggest allowing women with children under three to work on weekends and public holidays and to go on business trips. If another member of the family is able to take care of the baby, the woman must not be deprived of the right to pursue her professional interests. We believe that women on maternity leave should be provided with an opportunity to enhance their qualifications, undertake internship, and work on public holidays (as they envisage double pay),” Marianna Shchetkina said.
