Mr Putin congratulated the women on the upcoming holiday. Opening the meeting, the President said that the state is now carrying out a whole programme of measures to improve the demographic situation in the country, including through the maternity capital programme. Mr Putin said that other social policy measures are also envisaged and that he is hopeful that these efforts will produce results.
Mr Putin said that it is important in this respect not only to improve people’s material situation but, above all, to ensure that society places a priority on maternity, childbirth and family values. This is the goal of the programmes the state is implementing, the President said.
Taking part in the meeting were Maria Ternovskaya, the director of one of Moscow’s children’s homes, Alyona Rodina, a childcare worker in a family-type children’s home, Natalia Punko, doctor and house-surgeon at a maternity clinic in the Moscow Region, and Alexandra Ochirova, a member of the Public Council.