Role of Buryat trade unions in motherhood and childhood protection in the Soviet period

The article considers the main trends of social policy in the field of maternity and child welfare. The acute demographic crisis prompted the Soviet government to create an effective state system for protection of motherhood and childhood. It involved a set of measures, such as creation of a network of health-care institutions for women and child-care facilities, which included not only health support, but also education services for younger generation. In the post-war period, new measures were needed to stimulate and support the birth rate. Trade unions played an important role in implementation of the policy on motherhood and childhood protection. Their participation was reflected in payments from the social insurance fund, control and enshrining the benefits for women with children in collective agreements, participation in programs for allocating housing, organization of leisure time and summer recreation for children.