| A rally for equality between men and women dedicated to
the 100th anniversary of the International Women's Day was
held in Moscow on March 8. It was organised by several women's
organisations, including the Council for Consolidation of
Women's Movement in Russia, the Gender faction of the YABLOKO
party, the Federation of Russia’s Women, the initiative group
For Feminism and movement for Saving of the People. The participants
of the action spoke about the need of state guarantees for
gender equality.
On March 8, 1911, about one million women in four European
countries went out onto the streets demanding equal pay, equal
rights for higher education and other political and civil
rights.
All the speakers at the present action agreed that these
requirements were relevant today too. Despite the fact that
in Russia the share of women with higher education is larger
than that of men, women’s wages account for two thirds of
the men's and are comparable with those of men with secondary
education.
Also the trend towards femenisation of poverty has developed
worldwide: 70% of population below poverty level are woman.
Co-Chair of the Council for Consolidation of Women's Movement
of Russia Natalia Dmitriyeva recalled that a 30% representation
of women in government, as international practice showed,
provided for socially oriented policies of the state.
She also urged the leaders of all political parties to give
at least a 40% quota in their electoral lists to women. She
added that Europe would transfer to a 50% equal representation
of both the genders in government by 2015.
Galina Mikhalyova, leader of YABLOKO’s Gender Faction, stressed
that Russia is ranked 80th as of representation of women in
the government which is close to Togo in Africa. She recalled
the miserable child benefits, in some areas barely exceeding
100 roubles (USD 3), as the country's budget had been distributed
in favour of secret services and bureaucracy. The biggest
challenge, according to Mikhalyova, was overcoming of violence
against women. In Europe there is at least one crisis centre
for women per 100,000 women; whereas in Moscow there are only
several centres for a 12 million city, and there are no such
centres in other regions at all.
"We need a law on state guarantees of equal rights and
equal opportunities for men and women,” Mikhalyova said.
Writer Maria Arbatova added that the two key problems faced
by Russian women were non-functioning laws against domestic
violence and child support.
Head of YABLOKO’s School of Active Citizen lawyer Tatyana
Ovcharenko told that she had had a case when a criminal case
against a father refusing to support his child had not been
raised simply the police head receiving the complaint also
had refused to support his child. “This is a common practice,
and the only way out of it is dismissal of such officials
without the right to occupy such posts in law enforcement
agencies”, she said.
Political analyst Svetlana Aivazova stated that "modernization
of Russia is impossible without recognizing the rights of
all human beings - both men and women."
Men also had a word at the action. Thus, actor Viktor Balabanov
said that women should take the posts of president and prime
minister in Russia. "And within one or maximum of two
terms these problems will be solved", he added.
The action ended with a bright performance prepared by YABLOKO’s
activists Ekaterina Kravchenko and Marina Sergutina who drew
attention to the fact the women in contrast to the widely
used cliches, are not simply pretty faces, but they are also
academics, writers and politicians.
Photos from the action:
See also:
Women's
Movement
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