Belarusian Women "smeared" Lukashenko

8.01.2026, 12:12
28,958

Actions speak louder than any words.

The year of 2026 in Belarus is declared "The Year of Belarusian Woman" - this is what is dedicated to another decree № 1. The press service of Alexander Lukashenko explained that the document was adopted "in order to form a national image of a woman worker, popularize the role of women in the preservation and development of society. And it has already reported that there is unprecedented jubilation in social networks, joy for the Belarusian women and "a sea of kind words to our country" and personally to the ruler.

"Salidarnasts" asked the Belarusian women in the country what they think about it, whether they expect significant results from the "Year of Belarusian Woman," and what events they would advise officials to hold. The names of all interlocutors have been changed for security reasons.

"The year before last was the year of quality. So what?"

- What do I expect from the Year of the Woman? At best - nothing," says Polina, a resident of one of the district centers in Brestchina. - Let me explain why this is so. Let's remember the slogans of the past few years and how it ended.

The year before last 2024 was the year of quality. Domestic manufacturers did not create anything of high quality (we will not consider stolen models of "Belarusian" axes as an achievement, will we?).

In 2025, the year of improvement, two national subbotniks were held instead of one - the whole country saw this show-off. And what did they achieve? Only money was withdrawn twice and budgetary employees were sent to "clean up" at agricultural enterprises. Let us sadly keep silent about 2023 "the year of peace and creation" and "the year of national unity" five years ago.

The best thing that can happen this year - if officials, especially in the field, will again do everything "for a tick".

They will put up pathos billboards, choose "women of the year" in various industries, once again tell how "the state provides all the opportunities" to Belarusian women for professional self-realization, childcare and family care. In this sense, as sadly joked in social networks, the Year of the Horse and the "Year of Belarusian Woman" symbolically coincided...

But, according to Polina, the main efforts of the authorities will be focused on demography, with appeals to women to give birth more.

- And here they can turn around, in a bad way. Let churchmen lecture about "traditional values" in schools and universities, declare not a week but a month without abortion, make childless women look selfish and "unpatriotic," turn a blind eye to domestic violence - just so long as "children grow up in a family." I'm exaggerating, of course, but I'm very much afraid of such a scenario.

And if this is the goal, a large number of Belarusian women who really need help and support - victims of husbands and partners-aggressors, single mothers, mothers of children with disabilities, elderly single women (and there are many of them, we have women who live much longer than men) will remain unnoticed.

A dramatic surge in the birth rate, as we understand, will not happen anyway, because Belarus will not become a prosperous Switzerland overnight. And we already had the Year of Mother and the Year of Child almost 20 years ago - did it help the demography much?

"It's as if you were promised a big surprise, but got a frying pan"

- I have double feelings about the very name, - shares the thoughts of Vitebsk resident Yulia, - maybe we wanted to do better, but it turned out as usual.

It's like we've solved other problems, and now it's time for women. And in the previous thirty years they didn't care about us? Then why should we be surprised that the birth rate is falling and the number of divorces is rising?

It's like being promised a big birthday surprise for a long time and getting... a frying pan. It seems to be for your benefit, for your home and family, but not for you personally, without a drop of respect and care. And then the whole year they will remember what a cool present they gave you, "and Vadim just brought his bouquet".

But "The Year of Belarusian Men" would sound no better. Because the subtext is the same: before we didn't care about men, but now we've got our hands on them.

I don't know, maybe we should have played with words, chosen some wording, like "the year of special care". Otherwise, it's unpleasant, to put it mildly.

If you decipher the official justification in normal language, it's a direct instruction: "women", you work, give birth, tolerate-don't divorce and stay out of politics.

The only thing worse would be "The Year of Demographic Security" or something like that. They say, you there hold on, do not worsen our indicators.

And since the title is unfortunate, I do not have much hope for the content. What can our authorities do for women if there is enough money only for deputies and law enforcers?

Any law on domestic violence? I don't believe it.

Decrease the retirement age? At whose expense? More likely, equalize the female and male, saying "women and live longer, we believe in you, you will manage".

Maybe include "maternity" years in the insurance record? Don't laugh at my slippers, according to officials, this is a "vacation" for a woman.

Although real actions could also be. For example, if not to talk pathetically about "free medicine," but to make three free ultrasound examinations in polyclinics for all Belarusian women - breast, pelvic organs and, say, thyroid. It would be an effective prevention.

or targeted, absolutely specific support. Not all mothers with many children in general, so as not to breed dependency moods and the growth of hostility of Belarusians towards each other, but those and in such a way that it would be beneficial.

But in general, all this should have been started many years ago and not limited to a year - perhaps, then there would have been a different result. And now all the promises and slogans of our state are wrappers, behind which there is not even candy.

"Modern women need not advertising slogans and fake promotions"

-"I don't really understand what the authorities mean by the name 'Year of Belarusian Woman'," says Alina from Minsk, "and it seems they haven't realized it yet, since the government is only "instructed to develop" a plan of events for the whole year.

But judging by the first impression, there will be a lot of sexism. Personally, I heard that women will be falsely exalted: "the adornment of our collective/people", "the weaker sex" and "the better half of humanity", emphasize reproductive function and so on.

And thus, in fact, they will again belittle wonderful, strong, intelligent, enterprising Belarusian women. And real problems will not be solved - for example, complete sexism in working issues: the wage gap, fewer women managers and widespread refusals to work in connection with real or imaginary children (we all know "if you have children, you will be on sick leave without end, if you don't have children, you will soon have children and go on maternity leave, etc.).

Maybe it's a surprise to some, but modern women need not advertising slogans and fake promotions, but that they are not prevented from following their chosen path, decently paid and decently helped when they need it.

And not within the framework of some limited time campaign - oh, look, we have women! - but every day and around the clock.

Because the loud words (including the call "have a baby, the third one is mine") we have heard not only for years, for decades. What's there - I grew up under them myself. And the words, "abyatsanki-tsatsanki," themselves have not attracted for a long time.

Want to put a hardworking woman on a pedestal? Be my guest. Just provide a concrete plan on all fronts: I, as a Belarusian woman, want to know what will be done for me, where I can turn.

And if there is no clear plan - just leave women alone, please.

"A year of empty obligations"

- As a person, I don't expect anything good from the Belarusian authorities, neither for myself nor for my wife, or for my wife, mother or cottage, or for all the Belarusian people at times or in general," says Mr. Piatrus.

He believes that the Belarusian president himself wants a very traditional mentality and imposes it on the whole country, so "no matter how much they talk, it will be a year of empty expectations.

- I believe that in the course of the year so-called "hits" will appear, concerts will be held, art exhibitions will open in the genre. Schools will introduce new (or bring back the old) electives on "ethics and psychology of family life" with the imposition of traditional "listening" gender roles.

It is clear that in the media more attention will be paid to the so-called "women's" professions, the aspirations of Belarusian girls and women-participants, scientists, teachers, educators, medical workers, expositors, and artists.

Often, it may happen that the members of TikTok will start a great praise of the role of Belarusian men in helping women in the hut. But cardinally nothing will change.

They do not know how to think strategically, they are turned in the past and on the past, and there is little planning for the future there.

What about the widely discussed debate about the most ridiculous governmental policy in the world, our experts remind me of such a mountain of pompous people, who can do anything - either abstractly or absurdly or simply sapsue. I should have sat down for a while. But I found myself in the same genes and students of the same task.

I would like to express a not so fresh but relevant every year thought: this world needs not a year, but a number of "gesture" months. An era of women, as it may be. All conflicts in the world &t; &t; > happen because of the inordinately strained masculine ego of the leaders of these or other countries.

I would for a moment forbid men who have gone alpha to talk about cooperation in all countries of the world, so that they would calm down a bit and come to a realization. Such a thought-antytopia with champagne.

"Actions sound louder than any words"

- Years go by, but the pathos slogans do not change, - laughs pensioner Valentina Igorevna sadly. - We are fed up with loud words about unity, about peace and creation, about small motherland, about entrepreneurship, about frugality. Therefore, I do not expect any achievements and real changes for the better from the next "year of the new five-year plan".

And how can it be perceived if the Year of Women is announced by a man who does not even respect his own women - neither the mother of older children, nor the mother of the youngest - and does not give them even a decorative role in public space? Actions sound louder than any words.

And if this is how he treats his close women, it is clear in what place and in what white slippers he saw us, "ordinary Belarusian women".

And even more so us - pensioners, who do not create gross product, do not improve demography, choose cheaper goods from Belarusian producers, do not march in patriotic clubs - just live quietly...

Were there no war, the rest is nothing. So personally I don't care about the plans of the party and the government. I support my friends and neighbors as much as I can, help my children and grandchildren, read books, sauerkraut and rejoice for others when good things happen.

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Belarusian Women "smeared" Lukashenko

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