Career or parenthood? In Belarus, such a choice is not worth it: the state takes full care of families with children

TOLD YOU

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko:

The family, real, strong, with the voices of children, is a continuation not only of someone’s name, but of the entire Belarusian people.

At the presentation of state awards in honor of Women's Day, March 5, 2026. In Belarus, every fifth child is covered by benefits, for which 4.1 billion rubles were allocated in 2026 (in 2025 - 3.7 billion). Support for children and their parents is one of the most important priorities of the state. On the eve of Parental Love Week, which begins on October 14 with the celebration of Mother’s Day and ends on October 21 with Father’s Day, we tell how family policy is developing.

♦ Free medical support for pregnancy and childbirth.

Social leave paid during pregnancy and childbirth.

After childbirth

♦ Working mother, father or other relatives are entitled to leave to care for a child up to three years with the payment of benefits and the preservation of the workplace. To protect employment, the contract is extended for both mothers and fathers on parental leave, at least until the child reaches the age of five.

♦ For families raising children with disabilities, an additional set of guarantees is provided: disability pensions, benefits, social care services.

Current benefits

for the first child – 1057,70 rubles monthly;

for the second and subsequent children – 1208.80 rubles per month;

for a disabled child – 1359.90 rubles monthly.

During the period of being on leave to care for a child up to three years, moms or dads can work on a part-time basis - they will retain the full amount of the allowance.

Other payments

a one-time allowance for the first child – 10 BPM, or 5303.70 rubles;

for the second and subsequent children – 14 BPM, or 7425.18 rubles;

If a woman becomes registered in a women's clinic before 12 weeks of pregnancy, she receives a payment of 1 BPM, or 530.37 rubles;

If twins or triplets were born in the family, then parents are additionally entitled to a one-time payment of 2 BPM per child. Benefits for a large family, where schoolchildren are brought up: one-time assistance for the new school year for each schoolchild, a benefit for paying for the use of textbooks and benefits, free meals at school.

♦ Large families have the right to extraordinary loans or a one-time subsidy for the construction, reconstruction, purchase of residential premises, as well as financial assistance to the state in repayment of debt on concessional loans: if there are three children - 75 percent of the debt, four or more children - 100 percent.

♦ Members of large families are granted exemption from real estate tax, land tax.

Parents (adoptive parents, adoptive parents) in large families, permanently residing in the territory of Belarus, once a year have the right to reduce by 50 percent customs duties and taxes payable when importing cars into the country for personal use.

♦ Fathers raising three or more children are exempt from conscription and reserve service, as well as from all types of military and special fees. State support phases 1998

The Presidential Decree of January 21, 1998 approved the “Main Directions of State Family Policy”.

The first Presidential Program “Children of Belarus” was developed and adopted. In total, in 1998-2010, three Presidential programs “Children of Belarus” were implemented.

2002

♦ Belarus was the first post-Soviet country to adopt the Law on Demographic Security of the Republic of Belarus.

2013

The amount of allowance for the care of a child under three years was calculated on the basis of the average monthly salary in the country, which allowed to increase it almost twice. For comparison, in 2006 the size was 65 percent BPM, in 2007 - 80 percent, in 2010 - 100 percent BPM.

2015

A family capital program has been adopted at the birth (adoption, adoption) of a third or subsequent child.

♦ An additional allowance for families for children older than three years has been introduced.

2020

♦ The family capital program has been modernized. The right to spend early on improving housing conditions, receiving paid medical services and education was granted.

♦ For fathers, a new type of leave at the birth of a child is established - for up to 14 days within six months after the birth of a child. It can be paid if it is provided by the collective agreement or by the decision of the employer.

2022

♦ The Constitution was amended on family and marriage. The Basic Law stipulates that marriage as a union of a man and a woman, family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood are protected by the state.

The presidential decree established Father's Day, which is celebrated on October 21.

2024

♦ The Labor Code introduced innovations that expanded the guarantees of working parents. Among them is giving a mother or father raising a disabled child under the age of 18 or three or more children under 16 years, the right to choose: take one additional day off per week or, in agreement with the employer, reduce the duration of daily work by an hour - all this while maintaining wages.

2025

The Presidential Decree “On Social Support” came into force. Reduced requirements for the duration of insurance experience for mothers with four children — from 10 to 5 years.

The targeting of state support has been strengthened with the entry into force of the Law “On Amendment of Laws on State Benefits to Families Raising Children”. Since January 1, the minimum amount of maternity allowance has been increased (insured women - more than three times, receiving education - twice), as well as temporary disability allowances for childcare for insured persons. The level of social protection of families raising children with disabilities has been increased, including after they reach the age of 18 years.

2026

The Information Strategy of the State Family Policy for 2026-2030 and the Roadmap of four blocks for its implementation were approved. The focus is on values that combine respect for one’s family, traditions, care and support, and the joy of parenthood.

♦ The President supported the idea of linking the size of the allowance for child care up to three years to the real income of the recipient. It is planned that the amount will not decrease for anyone, but for those who had high earnings before leaving on maternity leave, the benefit can grow up to the average salary in the country. Exceptionally, if the mother is on maternity leave, can the father take sick leave to care for the child? The father is entitled to a paid sick leave if the mother is put in the hospital; if the child is sick and lies with the mother in the hospital, and the youngest is at home until three years old; if several children are sick at once, and the mother with any of the children is in the hospital. In other cases, the father will only be issued an unpaid certificate of temporary disability.