The 6 March a bill against sexual discrimination was discussed in Duma.By tradition there is a tolerant attitude toward violation of equality of men’s and women’s rights in the Russian Federation. It’s one of the reasons of unequal representation of women in the ruling clique and in the highest ranks, of violation of women’s labour rights and spreading of sexual violence. Contrary to the Constitution, state and private undertakings practice discrimination against women. (09-MAR-06)
Text : HRH / Yanina Savenko, based on www.owl.ru.
53% of population consists of women, however there is not a single woman in the Government now. In the Duma they total less than 10%, and during long period of time the number of women in legislative bodies has not been exceeding 10%. Only two women are the heads of subjects of the Russian Federation. “In spite of numerous legal regulations, prohibiting sex discrimination, there is no mechanisms of their realization, for example concrete sanctions against infringement of these regulations aren’t provided”, a monitoring by human rights organizations, conducted emphasized.
Violence against women is widespread in the Russian Federation
Almost a fourth of women has suffered sexual violence, besides women avoid turning to the law machinery. According to the Center for Studying Contemporary Politics, only 6-10% of victims go to the judicial authorities only 3% of cases come up to the court examination. Family violence is being hidden not only from public attention, but also from the closest friends of women because they prefer not to make known the case. Approximately physical violence occurs in 55% of families (psychological – in 80%). In the Russian Federation virtually there is no state protection system for victims of family violence. Very often ex-husband and ex-wife after divorce have no possibility to live separately. This fact and also the influence of stereotypes (‘a child must have a father’, ‘women must preserve the family at any price’) make women tolerate with family violence.
Violation of right for social insurance 
Today the problem of fulfilling social insurance arrangements by State is the most troubling for Russian women. A great number of women work without registration of labor relations or having labour contracts with nominal salary (often equal to the minimum wage), which is considerably lower than the real one. In the first case a woman doesn’t get any sick benefit, maternity benefit and child support, in the latter case social payment based on nominal wage represents a trifling sum. Many women complain about very low child support (less than 10$ per month), which are often delayed or aren’t paid at all.
Employment discrimination
According to NGO’s reports, about one third of employers prefer giving employment to men. Women often are taken on without enrolling legally, employers making a contract fixing “exclusion of possible pregnancy” during certain period of time. Typical cases of violation of social insurance arrangements is unlawful firing of women expecting a baby and women being on child rearing leave.
Wage discrimination
In the Russian Federation women have higher standard of education than men. 60% of women with higher education and with specialized secondary education are employed, but at the same time their level of wage is 36% lower than men’s salary. Wage discrimination exists not only in traditionally men fields, but also in industries with prevalence of women’s employment, because usually women occupy lower posts.
A bill against sexual discrimination
Recently women movement has appeared in the Russian Federation and now it has its own web-portal “Open Women Line” (www.owl.ru). According to Women Informational Net today there are about 1500 women organizations in the Russian Federation. Due to the active position and activities of women NGOs the problem of sexual discrimination was discussed in legislative bodies. The 6 March round-table discussion “On developing the legal mechanism for sexual equality” took place at the Duma, where deputies proposed amendments to the project of the Federal law “On state guarantees for equal rights and freedoms and equal possibilities for men and women in the Russian Federation”. In 2003 the Duma gave the bill its first reading and approved it. Now the bill is being prepared for the second reading planed for the spring session.
