against Women

Sixty-second session

26 October-20 November 2015

Item 4 of the provisional agenda*

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties

under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination

of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

List of issues and questions in relation to the eighth periodic report of the Russian Federation

Constitutional, legislative and institutional framework

1.It is indicated in the report (CEDAW/C/RUS/8) that the bill on gender equality has not yet been adopted, given that the State Duma and the Government received numerous submissions against it (para. 9). Please provide updated information on its current status and indicate whether it or any other legislation contains a definition of discrimination against women in line with article 1 of the Convention.

2.In its previous concluding observations (CEDAW/C/USR/CO/7, para. 32), the Committee expressed its serious concern at reliable reports of harassment, violent attacks and murders of female journalists and human rights defenders in the State party. Please provide detailed information, in addition to that contained in paragraphs 143 to 147, on measures taken to ensure the protection of non-governmental organizations working in the area of human rights, in particular women’s rights, female journalists and human rights defenders. Please also provide information on the impact that the 2012 law on foreign agents has had on the registration of non-governmental organizations dealing with women’s human rights that are receiving foreign funding.

Legal complaint mechanism

3.It is stated that the Ombudsman received no complaints from women of discrimination against them during the reporting period (para. 23). Please provide detailed information on the implementation of the Committee’s previous recommendation on the strengthening of the State party’s formal legal complaint mechanisms and, in particular, on the establishment of a separate department for women’s rights (CEDAW/C/USR/CO/7, para. 17). Please provide information on the complaints of cases of discrimination against women, including multiple forms of discrimination.

National machinery for the advancement of women

4.In its previous concluding observations (ibid., para. 18), the Committee expressed its deep concern at the lack of a national machinery for the advancement of women in the State party. It is indicated that the national machinery for gender equality includes the State Duma Committee for Family, Women and Children and federal executive agencies (para. 26). Please provide detailed updated information on the mandate of those bodies and on the human and financial resources allocated from the State budget for their operation.

5.It is indicated that bodies were created at the ministerial and gubernatorial levels to work on gender equality issues (paras. 27-32). Please explain whether those bodies have been established permanently or on an ad hoc basis. Please also provide information on whether the establishment of an interdepartmental or interministerial structure is envisaged in order to coordinate and monitor the process of gender mainstreaming in all relevant policies and programmes and to coordinate the implementation of such policies and programmes at the federal and local levels.

Temporary special measures

6.The report does not provide accurate information on the State party’s position on the need to apply temporary special measures to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in some areas covered by the Convention, especially political life and decision-making in the public and private spheres. Please provide examples of temporary special measures that have been adopted to promote and accelerate the achievement of substantive gender equality in areas under the Convention in which women are disadvantaged and underrepresented, and the results achieved or envisaged through their implementation, in line with article 4 of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25 on temporary special measures.

Stereotypes and harmful practices

7.It is indicated that, at the time of preparation of the report, a draft framework for State family policy had been developed, which included principles of equality of family members (para. 93). Please provide updated information on its current status and content and on further measures that would be taken to implement it. Please also provide information on efforts made to prevent negative gender stereotypes, including in textbooks and the media.

Violence against women

8.It is indicated in paragraph 105 that a bill on violence against women was prepared and then revised, taking into consideration the recommendations of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (A/HRC/24/14). Please provide information on its current status and main provisions. Please also provide updated information on the current status of the draft federal law No. 14704-6 on amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Correctional Code mentioned in paragraph 107.

Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution

9.Please provide information on the legal framework to prevent and punish trafficking in persons, including the existence of any national plan or strategy, and on the sentences imposed on traffickers. Please describe measures for the early identification and protection of victims of trafficking and the rehabilitation services available to them, especially those funded by the State.

10.Please provide information on penalties imposed on women engaged in prostitution under the legal framework of the State party. Please provide information on the impact of article 6.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences on women involved in prostitution, as well as on measures taken to protect such women from discrimination, violence, unlawful detention, extortion and threats and harassment by the police, and review article 6.11. Please provide detailed information on the nature of the provision in the Criminal Code on crimes against sexual inviolability.

Participation of women in political and public life

11.It is acknowledged that underrepresentation of women remains an urgent problem and that attempts to legislatively introduce measures to boost the representation of women have found no understanding in society or among deputies (para. 140). Please provide information on specific measures, including temporary special measures, such as quotas, that have been taken to improve the representation of women in the political and public spheres and in decision-making positions. Please also indicate whether those measures include campaigns to raise awareness of the importance for society as a whole of the participation of women in decision-making and mechanisms for monitoring of the impact of those measures.

Employment

12.It is indicated that women continue to be restricted in their choice of profession, based on the legislatively enshrined principle by which women and minors can be trained only for professions, workplaces and jobs where their labour is permitted (para. 155). Please clarify those restrictions and provide information on measures taken to remove them. Please also indicate whether the principle of equal pay for work of equal value is guaranteed by legislation and provide information on measures taken to address occupational segregation between men and women.

13.It is indicated that, at the time of preparation of the report, a draft federal law to amend some legislative acts to extend to foreign citizens compulsory social insurance for temporary disability and maternity leave had been prepared (para. 124). Please provide updated information on its current status and content.

Health

14.It is indicated that only 24.5 per cent of women use modern forms of contraception in the State party (para. 193) and that a survey on reproductive health was conducted in 2011 (para. 195). Please provide information on the outcome of the survey, the problems identified and the measures taken to resolve them. Please also provide information on measures taken to address the high rate of abortion as a result of the low use of contraceptives and to increase the accessibility, availability and affordability and raise awareness among women and girls of modern contraceptive methods and planning, as well as to facilitate access by women and girls to health services and reproductive health centres. Please also provide information on the health situation of women migrant workers, Roma, indigenous and minority women and women in detention.

Lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women

15.It has been reported that, in 2013, the State Duma adopted legislation banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”, which may discriminate against some groups of women. Please provide information on measures taken to protect lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women against discrimination. According to information before the Committee, such women face multiple forms of discrimination and violence in the State party and there are cases of teachers having been dismissed by their employers on account of their sexual orientation. Please indicate what measures have been taken to protect such women from discrimination and violence, including hate speech and homophobic attacks. Please also provide information on cases of dismissal of teachers.

Indigenous and minority women

16.The report is silent on the situation of indigenous women. Please provide information on measures taken to ensure effective legal protection for indigenous women, in particular with regard to their rights to land, territories and resources and representation in local, regional and federal decision-making bodies. Please also provide data on indigenous women and girls. Please provide information on the situation of women belonging to ethnic minorities with regard to their access to education, health care, political and public participation and decision-making.

Women and peace and security

17.Please provide information on measures taken to reinforce and support the participation of women in formal and informal conflict prevention efforts and indicate the steps taken to adopt a national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). Please explain whether women affected by conflict have been provided with adequate access to justice, redress and assistance, including psychological assistance, in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations. Please provide information and data on the situation of women asylum seekers from war zones in Ukraine. Please also provide information on measures taken to assist such women, in particular those who are victims of sexual violence and other forms of abuse.

Marriage and family relations

18.It is acknowledged that the provisions of family law do not extend to property acquired by cohabitants in an unregistered marriage (para. 266) and that a de facto spouse cannot inherit property (para. 271). It is also recognized that the number of couples in de facto unions continues to grow (para. 265). Please provide information on the legislative measures taken or envisaged to protect the rights of women upon the dissolution of such de facto unions, regardless of their registration status, in line with the Committee’s general recommendation No. 29 on article 16 of the Convention (economic consequences of marriage, family relations and their dissolution).

Amendment to article 20 (1) of the Convention

19.Please indicate what progress has been made towards the acceptance of the amendment to article 20 (1) of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.