Titarenko L. G. The young Belarusian family: between the state social policy and the influence of the values of demographic transition, p. 118-130


The state policy of Belarus towards the young families provides them with numerous benefits. The State expects that this policy will help young families maintain their well-being and stimulate the reproduction of the population. However, families retain a reproductive attitude to one child, which is the result of the influence of several global factors that are typical for the second demographic transition: involving women in social production and politics, providing conditions for the mass higher education among women, supporting their desire to combine their family and professional roles, and individualization. The results of the demographic transition include an increase of the late marriages and the increase in a woman’s age at the birth of her first child. The aim of the article is to study the impact of Belarusian state social policy on strengthening the young family as a resource for the country’s demographic development in the context of the demographic transition and the growth of values cultivated in modern society. The study is based on the methodology of gender approach to the problems of the development of young families. This approach makes possible to use demographic and sociological methods for the analysis of functioning the young families. The article shows that the problems of the State social policy the families are facing, are determined by the second demographic transition. Thus, there is a value gap between the existing generations, desire of young people to make independent decisions on the issues related to marriage and childbirth. As these trends are global, it is hardly possible to counteract them using the social policy towards the young families. The conclusion of the article summarizes the current situation and emphasizes the need for systemic support for a young family in order to maintain its sustainability and to exercise a certain impact on reproductive behavior. Read in PDF