Zeitschrift für Sozialwissenschaften

Abstrakt

Evolution of Family Policy in the post-Soviet Totalitarian Space: Cases of Belarus and Tajikistan.

Mashkhura Akilova *

This paper explores the impact of the post-Soviet transition on Tajik and Belarus women as paid workers and mothers. In this exploratory review, we examine how economic, social, and political factors in the Post-Soviet era impacted the demographics and family policy in Belarus and Tajikistan. In addition, this paper also outlines the existing geopolitical factors and unforeseen events, which have greatly contributed to the current precarious state of public welfare systems in Belarus and Tajikistan. Since independence, culturally and socio-economically different Belarus and Tajikistan have shared a similar political environment: Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Emomali Rahmon have remained in office since 1994 As we look at the post-independence history of Belarus and Tajikistan and examine the personalities and the family support policies of these governments, we look answers for the following questions: How have the unlimited presidential terms of Lukashenko and Rahmon impacted the situation for women in Belarus and Tajikistan respectively? Have the status and rights of women deteriorated? Has the gap between official rights and practice widened? How effective have these states’ family policies been in addressing the rising costs of motherhood and childcare.