Members of the State Duma from the LDPR party, led by its leader Leonid Slutsky, have submitted a draft law to the Russian government for review. This bill proposes the establishment of a “Paternity Support Service” in every region, operating under the Ministry of Labor.
According to the explanatory note accompanying the document, the purpose of this initiative is to safeguard the rights and ensure support for fathers raising minor children without a mother. The Paternity Support Service would operate nationwide, providing comprehensive assistance.
The primary responsibilities of this service would include aiding fathers with childcare, promoting men`s health, delivering social services, and offering medical, psychological, pedagogical, and legal assistance.
Slutsky noted in a conversation that while single mothers currently receive some form of social assistance, men raising children without a spouse are largely overlooked by the state. He highlighted that the number of single fathers has quadrupled over the last 20 years, now exceeding one million. He emphasized that these fathers also deserve support, as most of them live modestly.
Slutsky reiterated the LDPR`s consistent stance: “The concept of `single father` should be introduced into our legislation, and such citizens should be granted tax and social benefits. The issue of single-parent and impoverished families directly threatens our demography, which is already declining annually. Single fathers urgently need comprehensive and varied support. We anticipate that the amendments to the federal law `On the Fundamentals of Social Services for Citizens in the Russian Federation`, developed by the LDPR, will be adopted this autumn.”
The proponents of this initiative believe that the adoption of the bill will yield substantial social, economic, and demographic benefits. They anticipate improved quality of life for fathers and their children, strengthened family institutions, and the creation of a more equitable and prosperous society.
