Grants for Family and Demography: Is the State Really Caring?
Serbia is currently distributing about 48 million dinars in grants to associations that support families, children, and demographic policies. Jelena Žarić Kovačević from the Ministry for Family Care and Demography proudly signed contracts with associations that qualified for these funds. But is this really enough to stop the demographic crisis and improve the quality of life for families?
A Modest but Important Contribution
The Ministry has allocated a total of 48.5 million dinars this year to finance projects supporting families, children, and demographic policies. In the first cycle of the public call, which lasted from March 19 to April 3, 50 associations were supported. Nearly 22 million dinars were allocated for family-legal protection projects, about 16 million for population policy, and around 12.5 million dinars for demographic policy projects.
A Drop in the Ocean?
Although the Ministry claims that the funds were fully utilized and there is great interest, one must ask – is 48 million dinars for the whole of Serbia really enough? That’s roughly 400,000 euros, which is laughably small for the serious demographic challenges the country faces. Is this just a symbolic gesture or genuine state care?
Family as the Pillar of Society – But Where Are the Concrete Measures?
The Ministry emphasizes that the family is the foundation of a stable society and is making efforts to support organizations that protect the rights of children and parents. However, many citizens and experts believe the measures are insufficient and that much greater and systemic support for families is needed, including financial relief, better conditions for parenting, and youth employment.
What Do the Associations Say?
The associations that received funds say this support means a lot to them, but the problem is much bigger and requires a long-term strategy and greater investment. Without that, Serbia’s demographic picture will not improve, and young people will continue to leave the country.
Conclusion
While the Ministry for Family Care and Demography distributes modest funds and boasts about signing contracts, the real questions remain: is this enough? Does the state really care about families, or is this just a show for the public? If you have an opinion, feel free to share it – maybe together we can spark real change!
Slug: grants-family-demography-serbia
