Being a mother is one of the most challenging and, at the same time, one of the most important and rewarding roles a woman can take on. It is a monumental job with no days off, no breaks, and no holidays. You give your children all of yourself: you discover the world alongside them, teach them to tell right from wrong, comfort them when they are afraid, and celebrate every little victory.
It is easy to talk about good and evil in fairy tales and cartoons. But when it comes to real life, the right words are not always easy to find.
Today, 113 women political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus. At least 14 of them are mothers of minor children.
The regime in Belarus encourages women to have children, but after giving birth, many face a financial cliff. During maternity leave, the childcare benefit for a first child amounts to 35% of the average salary. When women return to work, they often face pressure to resign, workplace relocations, or difficulty finding employment. Unfortunately, people all too often take a mother’s work for granted. A mother may put her plans, career, sleep, rest, and own wishes aside for her child without asking for anything in return.
I know that many of you in Belarus are worried about your children’s future, their safety, and their freedom. And even when you yourselves feel afraid and face difficulties, you continue to be a source of strength for your children, giving them love, care, and a sense of security.
That is why it is all the more important to keep saying, again and again: thank you. Thank you for your love, patience, and strength. Thank you for keeping your children’s faith in goodness, freedom, and justice alive, even when so much of what happens around them tells a different story. And I am certain that your children will grow up to be wonderful adults who will make Belarus a better place.
Happy Mother’s Day!
