(MTI) – Women would be beneficiaries of a new, left government, as well as children, pensioners, job-holders and small and medium size enterprises, the leader of the main opposition Socialists told an event marking International Women’s Day on Saturday.

The Socialists represent primarily these groups, stand up for them and have crafted their comprehensive policies of governing around supporting them, Attila Mesterhazy, the left alliance’s candidate for prime minister, said.

Outlining the alliance’s programme for women, Mesterhazy said they would promote a higher ratio of women working in senior positions in politics and the economy, and would push for wages that are equal to those of men. They would also promote family-friendly workplaces, ensure that young mothers can return to work and expand the option of retirement for women after 40 years of employment, he said. The alliance would declare zero tolerance for domestic violence and give priority to women’s preventive health programmes, Mesterhazy said.

They would ensure more support to single mothers raising children and scrap nursery care fees, he said.

Governing Fidesz, in response, said the party has all the time considered important in its policy decisions supporting women, and mothers, not only on Women’s Day.

Listing related measures, Robert Zsigo, the party’s spokesman, told a press conference that Fidesz in the past four years introduced the option for part-time work for women, a family tax scheme, a child-care extra benefit, reintroduced the 3-year child care support and increased the capacity of nurseries.

Their measures also included launching a scheme to support young couples buying their first home, Zsigo said, adding the wages of about 200,000 women working in the public sector were increased and the option for women to retire after 40 years of employment was introduced.

As a result of labour measures, the employment of women reached a 22-year high, he said.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters