CHAPTER III. SOCIETY AND THE STATE
Article 38
The family shall be the basis of society and the State.
Family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood shall be under the protection and care of the State.
Marriage shall be concluded upon the free mutual consent of man and woman.
The State shall register marriages, births, and deaths. The State shall also recognise church registration of marriages.
In the family, the rights of spouses shall be equal.
The right and duty of parents is to bring up their children to be honest people and faithful citizens and to support them until they come of age.
The duty of children is to respect their parents, to take care of them in their old age, and to preserve their heritage.
Article 39
The State shall take care of families that raise and bring up children at home, and shall render them support according to the procedure established by law.
The law shall provide to working mothers a paid leave before and after childbirth as well as favourable working conditions and other concessions.
Under-age children shall be protected by law.
Article 40
State and municipal establishments of teaching and education shall be secular. At the request of parents, they shall provide religious instruction.
Non-state establishments of teaching and education may be founded according to the procedure established by law.
Schools of higher education shall be granted autonomy.
The State shall supervise the activities of establishments of teaching and education.
Article 41
Education shall be compulsory for persons under the age of 16.
Education at State and municipal schools of general education, vocational schools and schools of further education shall be free of charge.
Higher education shall be accessible to everyone according to his individual abilities. Citizens who are good at their studies shall be guaranteed education at State schools of higher education free of charge.
Article 42
Culture, science and research, and teaching shall be free.
The State shall support culture and science, and shall take care of the protection of Lithuanian historical, artistic and cultural monuments and other culturally valuable objects.
The law shall protect and defend the spiritual and material interests of an author which are related to scientific, technical, cultural, and artistic work.
Article 43
The State shall recognise the churches and religious organization[s] that are traditional in Lithuania, whereas other churches and religious organization shall be recognised provided that they have support in society and their teaching and practices are not in conflict with the law and public morals.
The churches and religious organization[s] recognised by the State shall have the rights of a legal person.
Churches and religious organization[s] shall be free to proclaim their teaching, perform their practices, and have houses of prayer, charity establishments, and schools for the training of the clergy.
Churches and religious organization[s] shall conduct their affairs freely according to their canons and statutes.
The status of churches and other religious organization[s] in the State shall be established by agreement or by law.
The teaching proclaimed by churches and religious organization[s], other religious activities and houses of prayer may not be used for purposes which are in conflict with the Constitution and laws.
There shall not be a State religion in Lithuania.
Article 44
Censorship of mass information shall be prohibited.
The State, political parties, political and public organization, and other institutions or persons may not monopolise the mass media.
Article 45
Ethnic communities of citizens shall independently manage the affairs of their ethnic culture, education, charity, and mutual assistance.
Ethnic communities shall be provided support by the State.
