Kochanova: to talk to young people about the value of the traditional family – the social mission of the authorities

The social mission of the authorities is to transfer traditional family values to the younger generation. This was stated by the Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalia Kochanova at the plenary session of the IV International Forum “Talk about the Important: A Happy Family is a Strong State” in Polotsk on October 13, the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency reports.

The central event of the two-day forum was held in the Sophia Cathedral under the leadership of N. Kochanova and Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk and Zaslav, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus.

The forum is held for the first time in international status. This suggests that the topic of preserving the traditional values of the family and the connection of generations excites and unites the progressive community, peoples and countries, said the Chairman of the Council of the Republic of BelTA.

The forum is attended by about 300 people, including 35 large families from Belarus and representatives of parliamentary delegations of six states - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

N. Kochanova stressed that family values are the basis of a healthy society and a prosperous state. According to her, these are harmonious relationships, physical and spiritual well-being, raising children and caring for the older generation, as well as a father's home built on attention and mutual support.

The plenary session presented data on Belarus’ positions in international rankings: 65th out of 193 countries in the Human Development Index and 54th out of 148 in the global gender gap index in 2025. Such results have been achieved, among other things, due to the high participation of women in education, the economy and public administration. In addition, the demographic security of the republic is a key priority at the VII All-Belarusian People’s Assembly.

The Chairman of the Council of the Republic called family policy a social brand of Belarus. The country has a developed legal framework and a system of social guarantees: the protection of the family as a union of men and women is enshrined in the Constitution, 11 types of benefits are paid, mothers are given paid maternity leave up to 3 years, a family capital program at the birth of the third and subsequent children is available preferential housing loans for young and large families.

On the first day of the forum, N. Kochanova met with large Belarusian families. During the open dialogue, issues of concern to parents were discussed. She assured that she would announce all initiatives at a high level. As a result of the discussion, promising areas of work were developed. Among the main ones is a dialogue with young people about the formation of attitudes towards creating a traditional family and conscious parenthood, promoting live communication and countering destructive content in social networks.

- In the conditions of unstable digital influence, it is the family and parental warmth that are a living connection between the past and the future, the main value of society, which cannot be replaced by anything. And our social mission is to talk about it with young people, said the Chairman of the Council of the Republic.

The forum participants also discussed improving legislation in the field of family law, protecting the rights of children, preventing bullying and supporting vulnerable categories of citizens. N. Kochanova pointed to the need to strengthen interdepartmental consolidation: authorities, confessions and the media should pool resources to popularize the image of a prosperous large family as the main social trend. Special attention was paid to international cooperation – the development of initiatives within the framework of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the promotion of traditional family values at the UN Family Friends Group.

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