The meeting participants discussed the development of the social infrastructure for children.
In his address, Sergei Ivanov noted positive developments in the implementation of the National Strategy. Thus, in 2014 there was a natural population growth. In his view, this was in part a result of measures to support families with two or more children and due to qualitative changes in healthcare. The Chief of Staff noted a 20 percent reduction in the number of orphans over the past year.
Mr Ivanov called for greater attention to the creation of worthy prospects for children. This involves better conditions for the children’s intellectual, physical and moral development, for discovering and using their talents and positive interests to the maximum potential. Mr Ivanov said this requires cooperation with NGOs operating in the sphere of pre-school and extra-curricular education and those that have programmes for children with special health needs.
The Chief of Staff stressed the need to raise living standards for families with children and to create a system of targeted assistance for those who need it.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, who is the Chairperson of the Coordinating Council, chaired the meeting. The key speakers were Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Chairperson of the Coordinating Council Olga Golodets and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.
