MINSK, 21 March (BelTA) – Belarus and Russia share similar approaches to the family values and family policy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Belarus Alexander Surikov said at the opening of the regional symposium on the development of science-based family policy on 21 March, BelTA has learned.
“Belarus and Russia apply similar approaches to the traditional family values. This has been reflected in a number of joint campaigns, including those held in the international arena. The comprehensive joint work of Russian and Belarusian diplomats in the UN is seen as very important. The same is true about the General Assembly and other structural subdivisions,” Alexander Surikov said.
The national sociological survey “Belarus: family structure, family relations and birthrate in the changing social and economic context” was held in Belarus last year with the use of the Generations and Gender program methodology. This was made possible thanks to the international technical assistance project “Support for the implementation of the national demographic security program of the Republic of Belarus” with a budget of $1.14 million. The financing was provided by the UNFPA and the UNICEF. The Government of the Russian Federation contributed $900,000. A number of the Russian research agencies helped directly with the implementation of the project.
The results will be a valuable tool in improving the demographic policy in Belarus. The data collected in the two-volume book to be released in the end of 2018 will be used as the roadmap for the development of the family and demographic policies to create favorable conditions for families that would meet the needs and life situations of young women and men. The roadmap will provide for investment options in the child care system, mechanisms to promote greater participation of men in this process and in domestic work and other issues.
Minsk played host to the symposium to discuss the development of the science-based family policy “Application of the results of the UNECE Generations and Gender survey” on 21-22 March. The event was organized by the UNFPA, UNECE, and the Belarusian government. The goals of the forum of experts from Belarus, Russia, Austria, the Netherlands, Czechia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia was to strengthen ties between scientists and strategy developers, government bodies and other stakeholders.
