Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 March / Trend corr. I.Alizadeh / The standing Azerbaijani Parliamentary Commission on Social Policy will develop a project which will provide a single payment of funds in sum of AZN 3,000 or 4,000 to women on maternity leave, as well as pregnant women whether or not they work.
"Allocation of the sum will have a positive effect on the social state of young families, MP Elmira Akhundova, a member of the Commission, stated.
Within the legislation, maternity leave is to be valid for 56 days and women are to be paid only their salary. Young families have found it difficult financially after the birth of a child.
MP said Russia already uses this system. Pregnant women in this country are granted USD1,000. "Azerbaijan's economic facilities are growing yearly and a large sum of investments is entering the country. The Azerbaijani Government is able now to render aid to young mothers. Settlement of this issue will positively affect the President's rating during the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 2008. I believe that President Ilham Aliyev supports this initiative," Akhundova said.
The project will be submitted to the Parliament on 1 April. Khadi Rajabli, chairman of the standing Commission on Social Policy, said the project may be implemented within the framework of strengthening social protection for young families.