Secured funds for maternal support in the school.
In Belarus, families can access a variety of assistance programs aimed at child protection, social support, and legal aid, though practical access remains limited due to regulatory and capacity constraints.
Child Protection Services
As a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Belarus provides legal frameworks to protect children, including refugee and migrant children and unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). The government, in cooperation with UN agencies like UNICEF and UNHCR, has established working groups and intersectoral algorithms to improve protections and services for vulnerable children and families, with a focus on refugee families from Ukraine.
Social and Financial Support
Belarusian authorities have laws addressing citizenship, legal status, financial, and social support issues for families, particularly those affected by conflict or displacement. Families can engage with local government social protection offices or receive referrals through UN agency partnerships to access these services. However, practical limitations and regulatory barriers may affect access.
Family Strengthening Programs
While not specific to Belarus, programs such as Healthy Marriage & Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) offer models for family assistance aimed at building stronger relationships and economic stability. These programs operate primarily in the U.S., but their interventions could be relevant for Belarusian families.
School Preparation Assistance
Families with three or more children in Belarus are eligible for one-time school material assistance, regardless of income. This amount, approximately Br146.32 per child, can cover the entire or almost the entire cost of stationery, equivalent to a pair of shoes or two shirts (blouses). As of now, nearly 40,000 large families in Belarus have received this assistance.
Workplace-Based Assistance
Employees raising schoolchildren may receive support in accordance with collective agreements and local acts of the employer. Additionally, workplace-based assistance has provided around Br800,000 to 4,100 families.
Charitable and Humanitarian Assistance
Charitable and humanitarian assistance has provided Br130,000 to 1,500 families. However, detailed eligibility criteria and application processes for these forms of assistance are not explicitly outlined in available sources, indicating possible gaps in public dissemination or bureaucratic hurdles.
State Targeted Social Assistance
To receive state targeted social assistance, applicants should contact the "single window" service of the local executive and administrative body or the territorial center for social service in the place of residence of one of the parents. As of now, state targeted social assistance has provided over Br11.5 million to more than 700 families.
Applying for School Assistance
To apply for school assistance, families should visit the labor, employment, and social protection office in their place of residence (unless they reside in Minsk or certain districts of Brest, Vitebsk, and Grodno regions, where they should apply at their child's school).
In conclusion, while families in Belarus can access a range of child protection, social, and legal assistance, practical access is often limited due to regulatory and capacity constraints. Detailed application guides and eligibility criteria are not always readily available, indicating potential challenges for families seeking assistance.
1.pite Belarus's efforts to improve business and finance by providing legal frameworks for child protection, social support, and legal aid, the practical access remains limited, suggesting a need for education-and-self-development programs to help families navigate these systems effectively.
2.Aside from school preparation assistance, government programs like Healthy Marriage & Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) could be beneficial for businesses in Belarus, offering models for family assistance aimed at building stronger relationships and economic stability among their employees.
