Labour, Family and Social Affairs Minister Janez Drobnic has presented the ministry's strategy for increasing the birth rate in Slovenia.
Drobnic, speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, added that family is facing its biggest challenge so far - fast and comprehensive social changes which form new relationships among family members.
Slovenia, as well as other countries, also faces declining birth rates and should therefore offer incentives to all couples who decide to have children, Drobnic added.
The ministry is therefore drafting a strategy to increase the birth rate, with one of its key components a division of family chores and parenting duties among both parents. The starting point of the strategy is love for life, Drobnic pointed out.
It has moreover launched a project entitled "Family-friendly Companies" which aims at encouraging businesses to implement more flexible working hours, where possible.
The initiative is a kind of a license that will be given to tho companies which will enable its workers to more easily harmonise their professional and family lives.
The director general of the ministry's family directorate Majda Erzar presented the government-sponsored changes to the law on parental care and family benefits, which the cabinet adopted on 9 February.
In line with the amendments, a parent raising two children will have the right to shorter working hours until the eldest child is six years old, Erzar said.
Self-employed parents will be entitled to social security benefits up to the child's third year, she added.
The family allowance will moreover be increased from SIT 81,910 to SIT 100,000 (EUR 417) for large families (four or more children), she revealed.
Drobnic's press conference was held to coincide with Family Week, which was taking place in Slovenia between 19 and 25 March.
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