Forum in Nalchik defines family traditions as important factor of Russia's family policy

The section "Family and Public Health" of the Forum "Caucasus. Traditions and Modernization", held on November 30 in Kabardino-Balkaria, discussed the issue of preserving the Caucasian family values at the background of modernization of the rest of the life. In the opinion of singer Varvara, mother of four children, these values are surely exemplary. Other debated topics were social problems, health of the population and demography.

In the opinion of Rosa Otarova, adviser to the President of Kabardino-Balkaria, many problems in social sphere stem from scarcity of local budgets; while the national project "Public Health" has many not quite well conceived points, for example, deliveries of expensive medical equipment. It turned out that the material base of hospitals was not ready to receive it, lacking both personnel and disposables, "the first kit is over, and everything stops."

"Birth certificates were introduced. According to them, the money for supervising a pregnant woman and delivery goes to the respective establishment for obstetrics and gynaecology. The idea is correct, since women should receive high-quality medical aid; however, in distant villages in all our republics we have no such specialized establishments; only midwifes who accompany these women, but they get no bonuses for their work," said Ms Otarova.

She also spoke about the poor quality of children's drugs; that there is a deficit of specialists and modern equipment for medical surveillance of babies up to a year of age.

A doctor from Dagestan told about the situation in medical establishments for children with retarded development in this republic. According to her story, such entities, frequently located in remote villages, lack elementary convenience - hot water, modern toilets, sometimes even heating.

She told about her visits to other countries, where she saw the attitude to such children, different with ours. "There, they set up associations of parents of such children; they support each other and raise such children together. Our tradition is to keep rubbish in. We speak much less about the problems," the doctor said.

Tatiana Saenko, a Deputy of the Parliament of Kabardino-Balkaria spoke about sociological studies, presented at the recent congress of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party, according to which every fifth schoolboy has tested alcohol, and every tenth one tried psycho-stimulating substances. The share of children, who feel the fear violence, including domestic violence, has gone up to 70 percent within the last two decades.

According to official data, Russia has over two million homeless children. During 9 months of 2009, the count of facts of violence applied to children has doubled against last year's similar period.

The MP believes that the problem should be addressed in the legislative order. There are plenty of laws, but they do not work. For example, laws forbid selling alcohol to minors, but they sell it.