Belarus declares 2007 Year of Child

Belarus has declared 2007 the Year of the Child. The president of Belarus signed a corresponding decree on February 1. The country will continue the work on strengthening family social support which was launched in 2006 in connection with the conduct of the Year of Mother last year, the president’s press service told BelTA. A range of measures was taken last year to protect the rights and legal interests of children, strengthen social and economic support of the family, enhance the responsibility of parents for upbringing children, create the system of social-pedagogical and psychological help to a family. In particular, the enabling environment was created to enact the presidential program “Children of Belarus” and the state program “Young Talents of Belarus” for 2006-2010, the national action plan on improving the state of children and protecting their rights in 2004-2010. The Belarusian president’s decree #18 introduced additional measures to ensure state protection of children in disadvantaged families. A new composition of the national commission for children’s rights was approved. Declaring 2007 the Year of Child will promote favourable social and economic conditions to stimulate the birthrate in the country and strengthen the family, raise highly intelligent and physically developed young Belarusians, the press service noted.

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