Press release, 17.10.2016
On October 13, the Gender faction of YABLOKO and the Zhurnalistka (Woman Journalist) club of the Union of Journalists of Russia conducted a round table on “Baby boxes and abortions. Demography and ethics”. The discussion took place after a number of Russia’s officials proposed to ban baby boxes and abortions.

YABLOKO Chair Emilia Slabunova, head of the Gender faction Galina Mikhaleva, head of the Centre for Gender Studies Olga Shnyrova, journalist Natalya Bitten, experts and activists participated in the round table.

According to Emilia Slabunova, there is no defence for the statements on the necessity of banning abortions and baby boxes.

“Such presentation of the problem shows disrespect for a woman who may be deprived of the right to make a deсision affecting her fate. It also shows disrespect for families which may be deprived of planned parenthood and stage-management of their lives. This is especially cynical to make such statements when the government cannot provide decent living conditions for families with children, cannot provide the conditions for upbringing and development of these children,” she said.

Slabunova also expressed an opinion that the initiative on tightening legislation concerning women’s rights was “a desperate attempt to take public attention away from the result of the investigation into Boeing 777 crash and Russia’s military operations in Syria”.

Galina Mikhaleva noted that the discussion on the ban of abortions and baby boxes has been on the agenda for a long time.

“Our party conducted a rally in support of women’s reproductive rights. An aggressive clerical group carried out a campaign against us but we never gave our stance up. We are not afraid of their actions,” Mikhaleva noted.

Journalist Natalya Bitten said that in 2011 the government planned to pass a law requiring spousal consent for abortion. Fortunately, the bill was not adopted.

In her speech Olga Shnyrova draw a parallel between the situation in 1930s (when abortions where banned under Joseph Stalin) and just now.

“We are going back to traditionalism by drawing a boundary line between our country and the West. Consequently we are approaching to what is called totalitarianism,” she said.

The participants of the round table agreed to adopt a resolution in support of women’s rights. Emilia Slabunova promised to touch the issue at the party Bureau meeting.

Earlier the government approved of senator Elena Mizulina’s proposal to ban baby boxes and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, signed an anti-abortion petition calling for abortions to be removed from the national health insurance system.