Seventy-eighth session

8–26 February 2021

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

Replies of the Russian Federation to the list of issues and questions in relation to its ninth periodic report * , **

* The present document is being issued without formal editing.

** The annex to the present document may be accessed from the web page of the Committee.

[Date received: 5 November 2020]

Legislation

Question 1

1.Russian federal law prohibiting discrimination against women is in line with the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

2.The Constitution of the Russian Federation recognizes and guarantees human and civil rights and freedoms in accordance with universally recognized principles and norms of international law, as set out in article 17 (1). The Constitution also guarantees equality of human and civil rights and freedoms, regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, language, origin, financial status, official capacity, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, membership of voluntary associations or other circumstances; and prohibits any restriction of civil rights on social, racial, ethnic, linguistic or religious grounds. Article 19 of the Constitution states that men and women shall enjoy equal rights and freedoms and shall have equal possibilities to exercise them. The wording to the effect that men and women have equal possibilities to exercise the corresponding rights and freedoms is aimed at achieving the full enjoyment by women of their rights and freedoms and true equality.

3.The definition of discrimination as set out in federal law is also applicable to discrimination on the basis of sex.

4.Under article 5.62 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation, discrimination is the violation of human and civil rights, freedoms and legitimate interests on the basis of sex, race, skin colour, ethnicity, language, origin, financial, family or social status, official capacity, age, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs or membership or non-membership of community organizations or any social groups.

5.Under article 136 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, discrimination is the violation of the rights, freedoms and interests of persons based on their sex, race, ethnicity, language, origin, financial status, official capacity, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, membership in community organizations or any other social group committed by a person using his or her official position.

6.Both the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offences provide for penalties for acts of discrimination.

7.Detailed information was provided in the eighth periodic report on the legal provisions aimed at ensuring equality of men and women and prohibiting discrimination.

8.The addition of supplementary federal legal provisions prohibiting discrimination would result in duplication of legal norms already in place.

9.To ensure compliance with the constitutional principle of non-discrimination on the basis of sex, the judicial protection of rights and freedoms is guaranteed under the Constitution and special legal mechanisms are in place. Such mechanisms include the examination by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation of the constitutionality of legal provisions, including the applicability of the constitutional principle of non-discrimination, in a particular case; and appeals to the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, the procuratorial bodies responsible for overseeing compliance with the Constitution and laws currently in force in the territory of the Russian Federation, and the Federal Labour and Employment Service (Rostrud), which is responsible for monitoring and supervising labour and employment.

10.These activities are funded from the regular federal operating budget.

Women’s access to justice

Question 2

11.The following topics relating to women’s rights are covered in training and continuing education programmes for procuratorial staff: “Legal issues relating to gender equity”, “State guarantees of equal rights and freedoms for men and women and equal possibilities for realizing such rights and freedoms”, “Protecting women’s rights when combating trafficking in persons” and “The legal status of women in Islam”.

12.As stated in article 7 (1) (3) of Federal Act No. 63-FZ of 31 May 2002, the Bar and Advocacy Act, lawyers are under an obligation to continuously expand their knowledge and seek to raise their level of professional expertise, at their own initiative, in accordance with the requirements set by the Council of the Federal Bar Association and the bar associations of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The councils of the bar associations of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation support the professional development of lawyers by approving professional training programmes for lawyers, paralegals and trainees in the areas identified by the Council of the Federal Bar Association and by organizing professional training under these programmes.

National machinery for the advancement of women

Question 3

13.The State priorities on behalf of women are set out in strategy documents and are aimed at ensuring that women can exercise their rights and freedoms to the fullest. Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 204 of 7 May 2018, which sets out the national objectives and the strategic development goals of the Russian Federation for the period until 2024, 12 national projects aimed at accelerating scientific, technological and socioeconomic development have been approved in the areas of health care, education, demographics, culture, road safety and quality, housing and urban spaces, the environment, science, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurship, the digital economy, labour productivity and employment, and international cooperation and exports. These national projects include activities designed to implement the National Strategy for Women 2017–2022 and promote the rights and advancement of women.

14.For example, the national demographics project includes a federal project entitled “Financial assistance to families with newborns”, which is aimed at ensuring that families with children are assured a decent standard of living by providing financial assistance in the form of cash grants and payments, maternal (family) capital payments and reduced housing (mortgage) credit (loan) rates. It also includes a federal project entitled “Ensuring access to preschool education for children under the age of three years as a means of supporting the employment of women” that includes training and professional development activities for women on parental leave while caring for a child under the age of three years and includes the expansion of preschool capacity so as to enable women with children to work full time. Another federal project entitled “Senior citizens” is aimed at helping seniors stay in good health, maintain an active lifestyle and prolong their life expectancy.

15.The goals and activities provided for under the National Strategy for Women 2017–2022 have been incorporated into national and federal projects, government programmes and other initiatives that receive funding from the federal budget, the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and from extrabudgetary sources. For this reason, there is no separate budget for the Strategy.

16.Russian law already contains all the necessary gender equality provisions. In accordance with article 19 (3) of the Constitution, men and women are guaranteed equal rights and freedoms and equal possibilities to exercise them. The principle of the equal rights of men and women is present in all key bodies of law and in all federal laws and relevant programmatic documents. There are two mechanisms for ensuring gender equality under federal law: positive obligations, arising from the equal rights guarantees set out in the Constitution and federal law, and negative obligations, arising from the prohibition against discrimination. The majority of federal laws guarantee equal rights by including wording to the effect that equal access to the rights provided for under those laws is guaranteed irrespective of gender or any other grounds, such as race, ethnicity, social origin or religion.

17.A separate law on gender equality is unnecessary, as it would duplicate the laws already in force. The action plan for implementing the National Strategy for Women 2017–2022 for the period 2019–2022 was approved by Government Decree No. 2943‑r of 7 December 2019.

18.Information about the implementation of the Strategy is provided on the official website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and in the federal strategic planning information system.

19.In 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Trade conducted a study of women in the industrial sector, including in the context of digitization and the fourth industrial revolution. Women were found to account for more than one third of all persons employed in the sector. Furthermore, they were employed in a broad range of occupations and at many levels of seniority, ranging from entry-level technicians to managers and company owners.

20.According to a study conducted in 2019 by the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, girls accounted for 24.6 per cent (364,000 students) of the 1.5 million students studying industrial occupations in secondary and higher vocational education programmes in Russia during the 2017–2018 school year. Girls accounted for 52.6 per cent of all students enrolled in the vocational education system.

21.A number of international and Russian conferences were held to examine ways to draw more women to various industrial sectors, promote the economic role of women in the era of digitalization and prepare skilled workers for work in the industrial sector. The events included a panel session entitled “The role of women executives in building successful business models” at the 2019 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (St. Petersburg, 2019); a women’s forum entitled “The Role of Women in the Development of Industrial Regions” (Novokuznetsk, 2019); the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (Ekaterinburg, 2019); and a session entitled “Philosophy of space: women at work and at home” at the forum entitled “Women’s Health – the Well-being of the Nation” (Moscow, 2020).

22.The Eurasian Women’s Forum, a leading influential international forum on the role of women in modern society, is held in Russia every three years. The Forum is organized by the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Interparliamentary Assembly of the States members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Forum draws women parliamentarians, representatives of executive authorities, international organizations, business leaders, companies, scientific community, non-profit organizations and leaders of international women’s movements.

23.The second Eurasian Women’s Forum was held in September 2018. The Forum’s events programme attracted 2,000 participants, including more than 600 foreign participants from 110 nations and 27 international organizations and institutions.

24.The third Eurasian Women’s Forum is scheduled to be held in September 2021.

25.As part of the joint project of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe entitled “Cooperation on the implementation of the Russian Federation National Action Strategy for Women 2017–2022”, which seeks to increase the participation of women in social and political life, a number of seminars have been held on ways to increase the participation of women in social and political decision-making as well as a training session for journalists on best practices for using the media to cover government and political decision-making processes. A study was published on ways to achieve the balanced participation of women and men in important political and social decisions-taking processes in the Russian Federation which also highlighted best practices in Europe in that regard.

26.A number of events were held to expand the role of women in public and political life in the period 2018–2020, including the fourteenth national competition of business women entitled “Success” (2018); the awarding of the national Woman of the Year prize; the international “Women who Matter” forum; and the twenty-second nationwide “Woman Director of the Year” contest.

27.In an effort to prevent offences in the family and domestic sphere, police officers are carrying out one-on-one preventive work with 1.1 million registered offenders, of which 72,000 have committed such offences.

28.The total number of offences in the family and domestic sphere has been decreasing steadily for the past three years (39.7 per cent in 2017; 10.7 per cent in 2018; 6.6 per cent in 2019), as has their share in the overall number of criminal offences (3 per cent in 2016; 1.9 per cent in 2017; 1.8 per cent in 2018; 1.6 per cent in 2019).

29.The gravity of offences in the family and domestic sphere has also decreased. In the last five years, in the period from 2015 to 2019, the number of serious and especially serious offences in the family and domestic sphere fell by 24.3 per cent, from 4,300 to 3,200.

30.The number of such offences continued to drop during the first six months of 2020.

31.As part of the joint project by the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe, a number of events were held focusing on the prevention of social disadvantage among women and violence against women, such as seminars on preventing violence against women generally and domestic violence specifically, including at the regional level; a training session for journalists on raising awareness of measures to prevent and combat violence against women; and a contest for the best public awareness campaign on the theme “Preventing violence against women” and for the best reporting on the theme “Participation of women in public and political life” aimed at showcasing and disseminating best practices by media outlets in connection with these topics.

32.A study was published by a group of international and Russian experts at the Council of Europe on ways to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, including in socially disadvantaged environments, in the Russian Federation. The study examined the Russian legal framework and summarized other countries’ good practices in this field.

33.In order to help women with underage children be more competitive on the job market, achieve greater professional mobility and increase their rate of employment, a number of events are being held to arrange vocational training and additional vocational education for women who need to change their sphere of activity or profession or master new professional skills prior to returning to work following parental leave. Such measures enable women to obtain a referral for vocational training from government employment agencies and to return to their previous jobs having updated their professional knowledge and skills or to find a job that is more compatible with child-rearing responsibilities.

34.Since 2020, the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are responsible for arranging training and continuing education opportunities, with funding from the federal budget, for women on parental leave with children under the age of three years and for women with children of preschool age who are not employed and have turned to government employment agencies for assistance. The training activities are expected to reach 40,000 women in the aforementioned categories each year during the period 2020–2021 and 50,000 women each year during the period 2022–2024.

35.Information about the midterm results of the National Strategy for Women 2017–2022 with regard to improving the collection of sex-disaggregated statistics is provided in paragraphs 203–210 of the ninth periodic report of the Russian Federation on the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

36.In addition, since 2020, statistics have been collected on the rate of employment among women with children under the age of three years and the rate of employment among women with children of preschool age.

Question 4

37.The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation reviews complaints relating to decisions and actions (inactions) of State agencies, local government bodies, officials and civil servants, provided that the applicant has previously filed a complaint regarding such decisions and actions (inactions) using a court or administrative procedure and does not agree with the ruling handed down.

38.The Commissioner also receives complaints from the public not only in respect of the actions (inactions) and decisions of public authorities, but also in respect of the actions of non-governmental institutions, including in connection with labour disputes, public health and education, but is not authorized under the existing regulations to review the full range of complaints.

39.A federal constitutional act is currently under consideration that would change the regulations governing the activities of the Commissioner and expand the range of institutions whose actions and decisions can be appealed to the Commissioner, including those concerning labour disputes, public health and education.

Civil society and non-governmental organizations

Question 5

40.The register of non-profit organizations acting as foreign agents includes information about 12 organizations that are (were) active in promoting or protecting the civil, political, economic and social rights of women, promoting women’s participation and independence, and recruiting women to take on leadership roles in civil society and government. Of these, four non-profit organizations were removed from the register following their closure and five after ceasing operations as a foreign agent.

41.As at 17 September 2020, three non-profit organizations acting as foreign agents remain in operation.

Temporary special measures

Question 6

42.This information is provided in the reply to question 3 in connection with the hosting of the Eurasian Women’s Forum and the joint project of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe entitled “Cooperation on the implementation of the Russian Federation National Action Strategy for Women 2017–2022” which seeks to increase the participation of women in social and political life.

Stereotypes and harmful practices

Question 7

43.The National Action Strategy for Women 2017–2022 provides for legal education activities aimed at educating women about their rights and freedoms under Russian law and under international agreements to which the Russian Federation is party. It also includes measures aimed at overcoming gender stereotypes; increasing the participation of women in social and political life through informational and education programmes; promoting the objective portrayal of the role of women in various spheres of life by the media; and changing behavioural and social norms that lead to gender-based inequality through targeted media campaigns.

44.In connection with the joint project of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe for the period 2019–2020 on cooperation for the implementation of the Strategy, the following seminars and training events addressed the way the participation of women in social and political life was covered in the media: a training session for journalists on best practices for using the media to cover government and political decision-making processes; a seminar on ways to increase women’s participation in social and political decision-making; a round table and a peer-learning session for current and aspiring women politicians held in a World Café setting; and a national media contest entitled “Women in the Modern World”.

Gender-based violence against women

Question 8

45.In accordance with the changes introduced by Federal Act No. 8-FZ of 7 February 2017 into article 116 (Battery) of the Criminal Code, acts of battery are prosecuted as a criminal offence when committed under aggravating circumstances, such as when they are motivated by hooliganism or by political, ideological, racial, nationalist or religious hatred or enmity, or hate or enmity directed against any specific social group. Acts of battery against family members or other household members are treated as administrative offences under article 6.1.1. (Battery) of the Code of Administrative Offences. A person held administratively liable for an act of battery incurs criminal liability for the commission of a second act of battery under article 116.1 of the Criminal Code (Battery committed by a person who has incurred an administrative penalty).

46.The purpose of these changes is to humanize and liberalize criminal law. Holding batterers administratively liable has proved to be one of the most effective prevention measures available and had been used to great effect for the past four years. By introducing administrative penalties, rather than criminal penalties, for some acts of battery, the number of offenders actually held liable for such acts increased four-fold, from 26,500 in 2015 to 110,700 in 2019.

47.Although there is no separate provision in criminal law criminalizing domestic violence, such acts can be qualified as crimes under a number of articles of the Criminal Code.

48.Acts of domestic violence may include not only battery but also other unlawful acts, including elements of crimes specified in certain articles of the Criminal Code: article 111 (Intentional infliction of serious bodily harm), article 107 (Manslaughter), article 109 (Infliction of death by negligence), article 112 (Intentional infliction of moderate bodily harm), article 115 (Intentional infliction of minor bodily harm), article 117 (Torture) and article 119 (Threat of murder or infliction of serious bodily harm).

49.Depending on the circumstances, acts of domestic violence can be qualified as crimes under article 131 (Rape), article 132 (Sexual assault) and article 133 (Sexual coercion) of the Criminal Code.

50.The police has a broad array of tools at its disposal for preventing crimes relating to domestic violence, including preventive counselling, offender registration and formal warnings, which are very similar to the measures recommended in protective orders.

51.Preventing offences in the family and domestic sphere is a priority for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its local offices. See reply to question 3.

52.The Governmental Commission for the Prevention of Infringement of the Law discussed measures to prevent offences in the family and domestic sphere at its meeting held on 31 March 2020.

53.Information about the draft federal act on the prevention of violence in the family and domestic sphere was provided in paragraph 47 of the ninth periodic report. The draft federal act is currently undergoing a review that will take into account the suggestions and comments received.

54.Under Russian criminal law, rape is defined as sexual relations (sexual act) engaged in against the will and without the consent of the injured party and involving the use or the threat of use of violence or the abuse of the female victim’s state of helplessness. All other acts of violence involving sexual activity committed against adult women incur liability under article 132 (Sexual assault).

55.A requisite element of the crimes covered by articles 131 and 132 is sexual intercourse with a woman against her will and the use or threat of use of violence (physical or psychological) or the abuse of her state of helplessness.

56.Information about persons who have committed crimes against women in 2019 is provided in Table 1.

57.Information about the number of women who have been the victims of criminal acts during the period 2017–2019 is provided in Table 2.

Question 9

58.Career development and professional training courses for procuratorial staff address the gender-sensitive application of criminal law provisions on gender-based violence against women and the use of gender-sensitive investigation procedures. The courses have addressed the following themes: “Legal issues relating to gender equity”, “State guarantees of equal rights and freedoms for men and women and equal possibilities for exercising such rights and freedoms”, “Combating domestic violence: legal aspects in Russia and abroad”, “Detecting and investigating violent offences in the family”, “Upholding the rights and legal interests of women victims during criminal proceedings”, “Special tactics and psychological considerations for interrogating women” and “Challenges in the implementation of international standards governing the legal status of incarcerated women”.

59.Career development and professional training courses for procuratorial staff supervising investigations of crimes against persons covered matters relating to criminal liability for crimes against the sexual inviolability and sexual freedom of the individual and to procuratorial oversight of legal compliance in the detection and investigation of such crimes.

60.No separate training is generally provided to investigators in the investigation of cases of violence against women, forced marriage, abduction of women and girls for such purpose, so-called honour crimes, female genital mutilation or polygamy, since the subject matter in such cases does not involved undertaking any special investigative actions that are not also undertaken as part of other investigations.

61.One example of a gender-sensitive investigation procedure is the strict compliance with article 179 (4) and article 184 (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure which prohibit the participation of male investigators in the conduct of strip searches or body searches of women.

62.Investigators stay abreast of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights and inter-State bodies for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including those relating to combatting violence against women, and make use of the views of international monitoring mechanisms in their work.

63.Depending on the specific circumstances, a woman who commits a murder in the context of domestic violence may claim self-defence to clear herself of criminal liability under article 37 (Necessary self-defence) of the Criminal Code or to mitigate the penalty, as provided for under article 61 (Mitigating circumstances) and article 108 (Murder committed as a result of exceeding the limits of necessary defence or of taking measures beyond those necessary to apprehend the perpetrator of the crime) of the Criminal Code.

64.Under article 37 of the Criminal Code, criminal liability is not incurred when harm is inflicted on an attacker while acting in justifiable self-defence, such as for the protection of the person and the rights of the defending person against a socially dangerous act if such an attack involves violence that poses a threat to life or a direct threat of use of such violence.

65.When defending against a socially dangerous act that involves violence that poses a threat to life or involves a direct threat of such violence, the defending person may inflict harm of any nature and scope on the assailant.

66.Criminal liability is incurred when the limits of necessary defence are exceeded, namely if it is established that the defending person was aware that the harm being caused was not necessary to prevent or stop a specific socially dangerous act.

67.Under article 61 of the Criminal Code, mitigating circumstances in the case of a murder committed by a woman in self-defence in the context of domestic violence include: the crime was committed in the context of difficult life circumstances; the crime was committed when the legal limits of necessary defence were exceeded; the victim engaged in illegal or immoral conduct, which was the motive for the crime.

68.A murder committed in so-called self-defence may be categorized as “privileged” and carry a lighter penalty. In accordance with article 105 (Murder) of the Criminal Code, murder is punishable by a custodial sentence of 6 to 15 years and an additional period of restriction on movement of up to two years, whereas murder committed as a result of exceeding the limits of necessary defence may be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a period of up to three years or a lighter penalty.

69.The courts have discretion in sentencing an accused person for an offence of which he or she has been convicted, taking into account the nature and degree of the social danger posed by the act and the person of the perpetrator, to the extent permitted under the relevant article of the Special Part of the Criminal Code and the provisions of the General Part of the Code. National law therefore fully ensures that women who commit homicides in self-defence in the context of domestic violence are sentenced to punishment that is fair and appropriate in terms of its type and duration.

Gender-based violence and harmful practices against women in the North Caucasus region

Question 10

70.In 2019, according to official statistics, 18,500 women were victims of criminal offences in the North Caucasus Federal Area, accounting for 44.6 per cent of the total number of victims. Violent crimes against women in the Federal Area accounted for 37.5 per cent of all crimes of this type (the lowest rate among all federal areas). Crimes of a sexual nature make up one third of all violent crimes perpetrated against women that result in victims (30.1 per cent in 2019).

71.The Russian Federation has exclusive jurisdiction over criminal law and the laws of criminal procedure, as provided for in article 71 (o) of the Constitution. In accordance with article 76 of the Constitution, federal constitutional laws and federal laws adopted on subjects that fall within the jurisdiction of the federal Government produce direct effects on the entire territory of the Russian Federation.

72.The Criminal Code is the sole regulatory instrument that sets out the elements of crimes and establishes penalties for their commission.

73.Unlawful acts are equally punishable throughout the Russian Federation regardless of the region in which they are committed. In order for crimes involving violence against women to be defined consistently, the elements of the relevant crimes and the entire set of applicable norms of the general part of the Criminal Code must also be consistent. There are therefore no regional differences in the enforcement of criminal laws.

74.In the Russian Federation, the age of marriage corresponds to the age prescribed in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1959 and in the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages, article 2 of which stipulates that no marriage shall be legally entered into by any person under the age of marriage, except where the competent authority has granted a dispensation as to age, for serious reasons, in the interest of the intending spouses.

75.Article 13 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation sets the age of marriage at 18 years. The same article provides for the right of local government authorities to permit the marriage of persons who have reached the age of 16 years, at their request and provided that valid reasons exist, according to their place of residence and taking into account the constitutionally protected interests of the family and the child. Article 13 also provides for the right of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to pass laws that set out the procedure and conditions that must be met before permission to marry can be granted for persons under the age of 16 years in view of special circumstances and on an exceptional basis.

76.Marriage with a person who has not reached 18 years of age, in the absence of the valid reason described in article 13 of the Family Code, including in the North Caucasus, is a criminal offence under article 134 of the Criminal Code (Sexual intercourse and other acts of a sexual nature with a person under 16 years of age) and criminal proceedings are initiated in accordance with the elements of the crime.

77.Abductions of women and girls fall under article 126 (Abduction) of the Criminal Code.

78.Female genital mutilation is classified as the intentional infliction of moderate or serious bodily harm that poses a threat to human life or results in the loss of an organ or the loss of the organ’s functions (articles 111 and 112 of the Criminal Code).

79.Polygamy does not incur criminal liability under federal law. However, article 14 of the Family Code prohibits marriage between persons of whom at least one person is already in another registered marriage.

Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution

Question 11

80.Detailed information on this subject was provided in paragraphs 69 to 71 and 74 to 81 of the ninth periodic report.

81.According to the available data, 22 offences were committed under article 127.1 of the Criminal Code (Trafficking in persons) in 2019 and 15 in the period from January to June 2020; a total of 33 persons were brought to justice in 2019 and 11 in the period from January to June 2020.

82.In accordance with article 6.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences, engaging in prostitution is punishable by an administrative fine. Prostitution is an offence against public decency and public health. Prostitution inflicts social harm in view of its potential to spread sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection on a mass scale.

Participation in political and public life

Question 12

83.Two women are Deputy Prime Ministers and one woman is a federal minister (for culture).

84.The Federation Council has 28 women senators, including the Speaker and one Deputy Speaker, out of a total of 170 senators. Women preside over 2 of the 10committees of the Federation Council (on social policy and science and on education and culture), while 4 women are first vice-chairs of committees and another 4 are vice-chairs.

85.Women account for 70 of the total number of 450 deputies of the Seventh State Duma, compared with 21 in the previous cohort. Women preside over 4 of the 26 committees of the State Duma, while 7 women are first vice-chairs of committees and 15 are vice-chairs.

86.Women occupy the posts of Governor of the Central Bank, Commissioner for Human Rights and Presidential Commissioner for the Rights of the Child. A woman is the governor of the Khanty-Mansiisk Autonomous Area.

87.More women now occupy municipal posts (33 per cent in 2019 as compared to 31 per cent in 2016) and there are also more women in local government and in legislative and executive positions at the municipal level (32 per cent in 2019 as compared to 30 per cent in 2016).

88.Measures have been put in place to improve the economic status of women, assist them with retraining, skill development and employment and create conditions that enable them to fulfil both their work and family responsibilities.

89.In accordance with Federal Act No. 67-FZ of 12 June 2002 on Fundamental Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in Referendums of Citizens of the Russian Federation, citizens have the right to vote and be elected regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, language, origin, financial status, official capacity, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, membership of community organizations or other circumstances. Candidates must establish their own election funds to finance their election campaigns, which may be established using the candidate’s own funds, the funds allocated to the candidate by the electoral association and voluntary contributions from private citizens or legal persons.

90.There are no provisions in federal law restricting women’s access to campaign financing.

91.Among applicants to the civil service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, preference is given to candidates who most closely meet the statutory qualification requirements with regard to the level of professional education, length of service or professional work experience, area of expertise, knowledge and skills necessary for the performance of official duties. These criteria are set out in article 12 (1) of Federal Act No. 79-FZ of 27July 2004 on the State civil service. There are no provisions linking the recruitment of citizens into the civil service to gender. Moreover, one of the principles of the State civil service as established by Federal Act No. 79-FZ (art.4(3)) is the equal right of all citizens who are proficient in the official language of the Russian Federation to enter the civil service and to enjoy equal conditions of service, irrespective of sex, race, ethnicity, origin, financial status, official capacity, place of residence, attitude to religion, beliefs, membership of community organizations or other circumstances unrelated to the professional qualities or performance of a civil servant. Thus, there are no legal provisions preventing women from entering into diplomatic service.

92.The proportion of women in the diplomatic staff in the Ministry’s central office is higher than the number of women serving in diplomatic missions abroad owing to the specificities of diplomatic service. Article 8 (1) of Federal Act No. 205-FZ provides for the mandatory rotation of diplomatic staff. Women diplomats, along with their male counterparts, are sent to work from the Ministry’s central office to its offices abroad, in accordance with their qualifications and specialization. Such offices are not always able to offer employment to the spouses of women diplomats that match the spouse’s qualifications and career expectations or his salary in the Russian Federation. Staff are also often rotated to countries with harsh climates and challenging living conditions that pose a threat to health and safety and everyday existence. Working in such countries can entail health risks for the women themselves and for their children, including any children they may have in the future.

93.In order to avoid placing the health of its women staff in danger or forcing them to choose between their family and their career, the employer, in this case the State, acting in the interest of the women themselves, does not generally oblige them to work abroad, unless there are special reasons for doing so. Thus, the “gap” mentioned by the Committee resulted not from discrimination, but from having taken the interests of women into consideration.

Women and peace and security

Question 13

94.The Russian Federation is not a party to any armed conflict. At the same time, as a permanent member of the Security Council, the Russian Federation attaches great importance to the consideration given by the Council to the theme of women, peace and security. A key event to be held during the Russian presidency of the Security Council in October 2020 is an open debate on this topic on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

95.The Russian Federation is generally supportive of the Secretary-General’s initiatives to increase the participation of women in peacekeeping, especially in the field of policing. The principle of broad geographical representation must be strictly observed when assigning women to United Nations peacekeeping missions, including to senior positions. To that end, the Russian Government is assisting developing countries in training women peacekeepers, including at the peacekeepers training centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Domodedovo, which offers annual training courses for foreign law enforcement officers and seeks to maximize enrolment by women.

96.Russian internal affairs officers have participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions since 1998.

97.Over the past five years, more than 20 Russian women police officers have participated in peacekeeping operations to carry out mandated law enforcement tasks. Many of them have participated in two or more United Nations missions.

98.The Ministry of Internal Affairs seeks to ensure that women police officers account for at least 20 per cent of the total number of internal affairs officers assigned to serve in the United Nations Police force, in line with its requirements.

99.Candidates for the peacekeeping police force, including women police officers, are trained at the training centre of the internal affairs agencies.

100.The centre offers courses twice per year for up to 100 internal affairs officers as part of a training programme for candidates for peacekeeping missions and for up to 80 law enforcement officers from African States. A peacekeeping training course with a gender focus was established in 2017, with 29 women police officers enrolling as part of the first cohort, 17 of whom later passed the SAAT international qualification exam.

101.The specialized course was a significant contribution by Russia to the implementation of the international Global Call campaign of the United Nations aimed at increasing the number of women police in peacekeeping.

102.Currently, the pool of Russian candidates available to take part in United Nations peacekeeping operations consists of 53 officers, 10 of whom are women police officers.

Education

Question 14

103.In line with articles 12 and 28 of Federal Act No. 273-FZ of 29 December 2012, the Education Act, the content of educational materials is determined by the curriculum of the educational institution, which the institution develops independently based on federal educational standards and the applicable model curriculums. The curriculums are tailored to the developmental needs of children according to age group.

104.In line with the model general secondary education curriculum approved by the federal pedagogical association for general education (see Minutes No. 2/16-z of 28 June 2016), upon completion of the unit entitled “The basics of a healthy lifestyle”, taught as part of the subject “Everyday Safety Basics”, a student should be able to:

•explain the key elements of reproductive health

•identify the factors that can have a positive or negative effect on reproductive health

•use official sources to obtain information about health, leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining and strengthening reproductive health

105.No measures have been taken to review school curriculums and textbooks to eliminate negative stereotypes in respect of women and girls as there is no evidence of the existence of any such negative stereotypes.

Employment

Question 15

106.The labour laws of the Russian Federation provide for equal rights for a child’s mother and father in raising the child from birth.

107.Women are entitled to paid parental leave until the child reaches three years of age. The paid parental leave may be used in whole or in part by the child’s father, grandmother, grandfather, another relative or a guardian actually caring for the child (article 256 of the Labour Code of the Russian Federation).

108.While on parental leave, the mother, father or other person providing care for the child may work on a part-time basis or from home and remain entitled to a State social insurance benefit.

109.Employees retains their jobs (positions) for the duration of their parental leaves.

110.Parental leave counts towards the total and continuous length of service, as well as towards work experience in the profession (except in cases of early retirement).

111.The husband, if he so wishes, may take annual leave while his wife (mother of his child) is on maternity leave irrespective of the length of his continuous employment with the employer. An employee may request in writing to be granted leave without pay for up to five calendar days in connection with the birth of a child (article 128 of the Labour Code).

112.The guarantees and benefits accorded to women in connection with motherhood, such as limits on night work, overtime, working on weekends and non-working holidays and business trips, as well as access to additional leave, preferential working hours and other guarantees and benefits as established by law and other regulatory instruments, apply also to fathers raising children without a mother and to caregivers (guardians) of minors (article 264 of the Labour Code).

113.In the event that a sick family member, including a child, requires care, a disability certificate may be issued to the family member (caregiver, guardian or other relative) who is providing the care. Under the circumstances, the father of the child is entitled to obtain a temporary disability certificate to care for a sick child and to an allowance.

114.The list of production processes, jobs and occupations with harmful and/or hazardous working conditions in which the use of women’s labour is restricted was established owing to the danger certain types of work pose to women’s reproductive health and the health of any children they may have in the future.

115.The list, which was approved by Order No. 512n of the Ministry of Labour of 18 July 2019, includes only professions and jobs the performance of which is associated with aspects of the production process that are dangerous to women’s reproductive health and could affect the health of the future generation, such as exposure to harmful chemicals, lifting and carrying loads above the established norms and vibrations.

116.The list was drawn up following a series of meetings with representatives of employers’ associations, trade union associations, representatives of employers in various economic sectors and with input from the scientific community. In particular, the Women’s Shipping and Trade Association took part in consultations relating to the list of professions and jobs relating to shipping.

117.In accordance with the law on the elaboration of regulatory legal acts, a draft of the list was posted on the official website regulation.gov.ru for public comment, thus providing all interested citizens and organizations with an opportunity to participate and express their position on the draft. Following the comment period, this feedback was reviewed, analysed and considered when finalizing the list.

118.The list contains the names of professions and jobs in which the use of women’s labour is restricted. The list does not impose any restrictions on the use of women’s labour once safe working conditions are created, at which point women have the right to be hired for such jobs and employers have the right to employ women for such jobs.

119.All citizens have a right to protection against violence and harassment regardless of their employment status and irrespective of where the offence was committed, in other words, whether it was work-related or not.

120.Criminal liability for crimes against sexual inviolability and sexual freedom of the individual, including for rape, sexual assault and sexual coercion, is regulated by the Criminal Code.

121.Perpetrators are held criminally liable irrespective of where the offence was committed, in other words, whether it was committed in the workplace, in a public place or in the home.

122.Sexual harassment in the workplace can be qualified under article 133 of the Criminal Code (Sexual coercion). The article lists blackmail and the use of material or other dependence of the victim among the means that may be used to coerce the victim into engaging in acts of a sexual nature.

123.Administrative liability for sexual harassment in the workplace can be enforced through a law prohibiting insulting treatment, in other words, indecent treatment aimed at humiliating the honour and dignity of another person.

124.In the context of civil law, accountability for sexual harassment in the workplace can be ensured by filing a claim for compensation for moral damages (physical and moral suffering).

125.Measures taken to increase the number of employment opportunities for women and to reduce wage gaps between women and men are being taken on several fronts.

126.The list of production processes, jobs and occupations with harmful and/or hazardous working conditions in which the use of women’s labour is restricted (rather than prohibited as before) has been reduced by more than three quarters, from 456 to 100 positions.

127.As part of the federal project entitled “Ensuring access to preschool education for children under the age of three years as a means of supporting the employment of women”, which is part of the national demographics project, measures have been taken to arrange vocational training and additional vocational education for women taking parental leave to care for a child under 3 years of age in order to master new professional skills prior to returning to work following parental leave or in connection with the need to change their professional sphere of activity.

128.Women are given access to education for various professions and occupations that matches their level of education and professional qualifications, work experience and the complexity of the professions (specialties) being acquired.

129.Women are kept informed about these opportunities in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation through broadcasts of video clips on television and booklets distributed at community centres, social services organizations, health centres (children’s polyclinics), extracurricular educational institutions and preschools and through seminars, round tables and field visits to local organizations.

130.As part of this federal project, measures are being taken to create additional places in preschool educational institutions to enable women with children to work full time.

131.According to data from the Federal State Statistics Service, the ratio of women’s wages to men’s wages in the country as a whole was 72.1 per cent in October 2019, compared with 71.7 per cent in October 2017. The wage gap between women and men is explained by the higher proportion of women in the sectors of the economy in which pay is lower.

Health

Question 16

132.In accordance with article 56 of Federal Act No. 323-FZ of 21 November 2011 on the principles of health care for citizens of the Russian Federation, every woman may decide for herself whether she wishes to have a child. Abortion is performed at a woman’s request provided she has given her free and informed consent.

133.Medical assistance in connection with abortions is provided to women in accordance with Order No. 572n of the Ministry of Health of 1 November 2012 which regulates the provision of medical assistance in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology (except as regards the use of assisted reproductive technology), and also in accordance with current clinical guidelines (treatment protocols).

134.Statistical data on the number of drug addiction cases among women in the Russian Federation is provided in Table 3.

135.Information on the substitution therapy programme for women who are drug users is provided in paragraph 141 of the ninth periodic report. Data on the rate of HIV infection, disaggregated by region, is provided in Table 4.

Rural women

Question 17

136.A total of 19.2 million women, or 51.7 per cent of the total population in rural areas, were living permanently in rural areas in 2019. Rural women accounted for 24.5 per cent of all women in the Russian Federation.

137.A survey of household incomes and enrolment in social programmes indicated that the number of rural women in households with per capita incomes below the subsistence minimum, as compared to the total number of rural women, has been decreasing: 26.4 per cent in 2016, 24.6 per cent in 2017 and 21.3 per cent in 2018.

138.The 2018 comprehensive survey of living conditions showed that the majority (71.5 per cent) of families (households) in rural settlements where women were members of the household lived in private homes or shared such homes (71.6 per cent in 2016), while 28.4 per cent of families lived in apartments (28.3 per cent in 2016) and 0.1 per cent lived in dormitories. Of these dwellings, 88.6 per cent had plumbing, of which 70.6 per cent had central plumbing (these figures were 86.3 per cent and 68.4 per cent, respectively, in 2016). The number of dwellings without plumbing has been reduced from 13.7 per cent in 2016 to 11.4 per cent in 2018. A bathtub or a shower was available in 68.5 per cent of all dwellings (as compared with 65.7 per cent in 2016) and a water bath or a sauna was available in 42 per cent of dwellings (as compared with 43.1 per cent in 2016). In 60.9 per cent of homes, a toilet was located in the house or apartment, while in 38.4 per cent of homes the toilet was located in common areas, in a separate structure or in an adjacent facility (in 2016 these figures were 55.9 per cent and 43.1 per cent, respectively). A total of 23.2 per cent of households are connected to a central sewage system and 8.8 per cent of households are equipped with a separate sewage system (including septic tanks), while 51.7 per cent of households are connected to pit latrines or similar with a set of pipes.

139.The number of educators working in educational organizations located in rural areas in the period 2017–2019 is shown in Table 5.

140.The number and proportion of women employed in health care and social services in rural areas is shown in Table 6.

141.Information on the number of women heading rural (farming) households, based on the results of the 2016 national agricultural census as at 1 July 2016 is shown in Table 7.

142.As at 1 October 2019, women occupied 34.7 per cent of municipal positions in local government bodies and election commissions in rural settlements, as compared to 32.4 per cent in 2016, which is higher than the national average of 33.4 per cent.

Disadvantaged groups of women

Question 18

143.The rights of numerically small indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation to prioritize traditional resource use and trades, to preserve their traditional way of life and practices and to settle legal matters in accordance with their customs are governed by Federal Act No. 82-FZ of 30 April 1999 on guarantees of the rights of numerically small indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation.

144.The territories of traditional resource use by numerically small indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East are defined in articles 5 to 8 of Federal Act No. 49-FZ of 7 May 2001 on territories of traditional resource use by numerically small indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, which also set out the procedure for the establishment of such territories at the federal, regional and local level.

145.Article 14 of Federal Act No. 49-FZ sets out the right of use, at no charge, of common minerals located in the territories of traditional resource use by members of numerically small peoples and of communities of numerically small peoples, including indigenous women.

146.Land plots and other discrete natural sites located in territories of traditional resource use are allocated to members of numerically small peoples and communities of numerically small peoples in accordance with federal law.

147.Members of numerically small peoples and communities of numerically small peoples are granted the right of use of natural resources in the territories of traditional resource use to ensure their ability to lead a traditional way of life in accordance with federal law and with their traditions.

148.Federal Act No. 11-FZ of 6 February 2020 amending the Federal Act on Guarantees of the Rights of Numerically Small Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Federation, established the procedure for registering members of numerically small indigenous peoples and provided for the establishment of a single list of numerically small indigenous peoples in the Russian Federation. The unified registry standardizes the procedure for confirming a person’s affiliation with numerically small indigenous peoples and ensures that the social and economic rights of such a person are protected.

149.А draft federal act to amend the Federal Act on territories of traditional resource use by the numerically small indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation has been drawn up. The draft act sets out a single decision-making procedure for establishing territories of traditional resource use at the federal, regional and local level on the basis of applications from representatives of numerically small indigenous peoples, communities of numerically small indigenous peoples and applications from persons who are not members of numerically small indigenous peoples but who permanently reside in areas where such peoples traditionally live and practice traditional economic activity, and who engage in traditional economic activity.

150.The current laws of the Russian Federation provide for full and unfettered access by indigenous persons to their traditional lands and resources irrespective of their gender.

Question 19

151.Discrimination is a distinct element of a crime, as provided by article 5.62 of the Code of Administrative Offences and article 136 of the Criminal Code. See reply to question 1.

152.The use of violence by officials against citizens, regardless of their origin, status, beliefs, membership of public associations, or other circumstances, incurs criminal liability under article 301 (Illegal arrest, detention or remand), article 285 (Abuse of power) and article 286 (Abuse of authority) of the Criminal Code.

153.The law on administrative detention, as set out in articles 91 and 92 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, prohibits the arrest of women on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

154.As provided for in article 1 of Federal Act No. 403-FZ of 28 December 2010, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is responsible for ensuring that criminal investigations are efficient and thorough; that reports of crimes are received, registered and verified and that criminal proceedings are initiated and preliminary investigations are conducted in accordance with the law; and that the rights and freedoms of persons and citizens are protected. It is also tasked with instituting and implementing, within its sphere of authority, measures aimed at eliminating circumstances that contribute to the commission of crimes.

155.The Investigative Committee is fulfilling these tasks, including as regards the conduct of investigations into crimes motivated by hatred of homosexual, bisexual and transgender people. In its work, the Investigative Committee is bound solely by the rules on investigative jurisdiction as set out in criminal procedure law of the Russian Federation.

156.Based on the information provided by the investigative bodies in the North Caucasus region and the Southern Federal Area, there have been no reports of discrimination and violence against lesbian, bisexual or transgender women. No women have been detained or arrested on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression by the investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee.

Climate change and disaster risk reduction

Question 21

157.As the entire population of the country is affected by climate change and natural disasters, there is no evidence of gender discrimination at the national level. For this reason, gender perspectives are not specifically addressed in national policies and programmes relating to climate change.

Marriage and family relations

Question 22

158.The equalization of spouses’ pension rights in the event of a divorce essentially means that the pension rights acquired by each spouse during the marriage are redistributed, after the termination of the marriage, to benefit the former spouse who had acquired less pension rights over that period.

159.The Russian mandatory pension system is based on insurance principles, provides income and expenditure equivalence, and ensures that the participants can exercise the pension rights acquired under the system.

160.The pension system of the Russian Federation includes various types of pensions (old-age, disability and survivor), which differ both in legal and social terms and in their source of funding.

161.The pension system covers the entire population of Russia, that is, all citizens of Russia either receive a pension or are entitled to a pension under certain conditions. In addition, no pensioners in Russia have a monthly income below the minimum subsistence level for pensioners in their region of residence. All pensioners who are not working receive a social supplement to their pension so that it meets the minimum subsistence level in their region of residence. In the event of a divorce, if the wife has her own period of pensionable service and income, she may be awarded an old-age insurance pension or, if there is no period of pensionable service and income, a social pension. Although the life expectancy of women is considerably higher than that of men, the standard retirement age in the Russian Federation is five years lower for women than for men, which is an additional safeguard of women’s retirement benefits.

162.According to article 32 of Federal Act No. 400-FZ of 28 December 2013 on insured pensions, the following women are entitled to an old-age insurance pension upon early retirement, provided that the individual pension coefficient is at least 30 (18.6 in 2020): women who have given birth to and raised five or more children to the age of 8 years and have reached the age of 50, if they have at least 15 years of pensionable service; women who have given birth to and raised four children to the age of 8 years and have reached the age of 56 years, if they have at least 15 years of pensionable service; women who have given birth to three children and raised them to the age of 8 years and have reached the age of 57 years, if they have at least 15 years of pensionable service; women who have given birth to two or more children and have reached the age of 50 years, if they have at least 20 years of pensionable service and have worked for at least 12 calendar years in the Far North or for at least 17 calendar years in equivalent areas.

163.Under article 12, paragraph 1, subparagraph 3, of Federal Act No. 400-FZ, the period spent by one parent taking care of each child up to the age of one and a half years, but not more than six years in total, is included as equivalent to periods of work in the insured length of service in order to determine the entitlement to an insurance pension.

164.The coefficient for calculating a period of childcare as contributory service equivalent to a full calendar year is as follows:

•1.8 – for a period of care provided by one of the parents for the first child up to the age of one and a half years;

•3.6 – for a period of care provided by one of the parents for the second child up to the age of one and a half years;

•5.4 – for a period of care provided by one of the parents for the third or fourth child up to the age of one and a half years.

165.Accordingly, women in the Russian Federation are fully protected in terms of pension provision, as termination of the spouses’ shared household, whether by divorce or by the death of a spouse, does not affect their pension provision.

166.In view of the above, there are no plans to amend the current legislation on the equalization of the pension rights of spouses in the event of their divorce.

167.In the Russian Federation, a marriage is recognized only when it is concluded in a civil registry office. The rights and obligations of spouses are acquired on the date of state registration of a marriage at a civil registry office (article 10 of the Family Code).

168.Article 33, part 1, of the Family Code provides that the legal regime for marital property is the joint property regime. The legal regime for marital property is applicable unless a marriage contract specifies otherwise.

169.In accordance with article 39, paragraph 1, of the Family Code, in case of division of the common property of the spouses and determination of their shares in such property, the spouses’ shares are considered equal, unless otherwise specified by a contract between the spouses.

170.In the case of a union that has not been registered (cohabitation), if the common-law husband and wife wish to acquire the rights of spouses whose marriage has been registered at a registry office, they must provide evidence in court of the existence of the union. Under article 55 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation, the following constitute evidence confirming the existence of a shared household and a civil union: witness statements, written and material evidence, audio and video recordings and expert opinions.

171.In case of separation of the parents, the place of residence of a child is determined by agreement of the parents. If there is no such agreement, the dispute between the parents shall be resolved by the court on the basis of the child’s best interests and taking the child’s opinion into account. The court considers the child’s attachment to each parent and to any brothers and sisters, the child’s age, the parents’ moral and other personal qualities, the relations existing between each parent and the child, and whether the living conditions are appropriate for the child’s upbringing and development (type of employment, parents’ working hours, parents’ financial and family situation and so on). If the parents have separated, the child has the right to communicate with each of them.

172.The provisions of the Family Code are valid throughout the territory of the Russian Federation.

173.In 2018, the Family Code was amended to reduce the fine for late payment of alimony from 0.5 per cent to 0.1 per cent of the amount of unpaid alimony for each day in arrears. The Code still contains a provision establishing the possibility of full exemption from payment of fines owed or a reduction in the amount of alimony arrears; however, this must be agreed by the parties and does not apply to the payment of alimony for minor children.

174.The penalty for late payment of alimony is enforced through a court decision.

175.The amendments made include a provision that, at the court’s discretion, the amount of the penalty may be reduced, taking into account the debtor’s financial and/or family situation and also whether the penalty to be paid is clearly disproportionate to the impact of the failure to comply with the alimony obligation.

176.This provision is designed to protect the rights of family members suffering hardship to receive maintenance in cases where the debtor is in material difficulty, on the basis of a court decision that takes all the circumstances into account.

Impact of the pandemic on women’s rights and gender equality

Question 23

177.In 2020, in order to mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a package of additional measures was introduced at the federal level to benefit families with children through income support and support for family members who had lost their jobs.

178.Monthly payments of 5,000 roubles have been established for each child under 3 years of age who is a citizen of the Russian Federation:

•For citizens resident in the Russian Federation who are entitled to State benefits in the form of maternity (family) fund payments under Federal Act No. 256-FZ of 29 December 2006 on additional measures of State support for families with children, this applies until 1 July 2020 (Presidential Decree No. 249 of 7 April 2020).

•For citizens resident in the Russian Federation whose first child was born or adopted between 1 April 2017 and 1 January 2020 (Presidential Decree No. 317 of 11 May 2020).

179.Those payments were made between April and June 2020.

180.A lump-sum payment of 10,000 roubles has been established:

•For citizens of the Russian Federation resident in the territory of the Russian Federation, for each child aged from 3 to 16 years (Presidential Decree No. 317 of 11 May 2020)

•For citizens of the Russian Federation resident in the Russian Federation who are parents, adoptive parents, caregivers or custodians of children under the age of 16 years who are citizens of the Russian Federation, for each such child (Presidential Decree No. 412 of 23 June 2020).

181.In accordance with Decision No. 346 of the Government of the Russian Federation of 27 March 2020 on the minimum and maximum levels of unemployment benefit for 2020, the minimum and maximum levels of unemployment benefits are set at 1,500 and 12,130 roubles, respectively, for citizens recognized as unemployed in accordance with the established procedure. For the period May–August 2020, the minimum unemployment benefit is set at 4,500 roubles. As from 1 March 2020, unemployment benefits are set at 12,130 roubles for citizens who have been laid off and declared unemployed in accordance with the established procedure, except for citizens dismissed for breaches of labour regulations or other misconduct.

182.In accordance with Government Decision No. 485 of 12 April 2020, citizens who have been laid off and declared unemployed in accordance with the established procedure as from 1 March 2020 and have children under 18 years of age are entitled to an increase in the amount of unemployment benefits in proportion to the number of such children at the rate of 3,000 roubles for each child for one of the parents, foster parents or adoptive parents, or for a caregiver (guardian).

183.In addition to the immediate measures taken to support families with children during the spread of COVID-19, the Government of the Russian Federation has taken other measures in 2020 to promote the well-being of families with children.

184.On 1 January 2020, changes were made to the criteria for assigning a monthly payment for the first and second child in the amount of the minimum child’s subsistence income, pursuant to Federal Act No. 418-FZ of 28 December 2017 on monthly payments to families with children.

185.Families whose average per capita income does not exceed twice the minimum subsistence level of the working-age population (previously, one and a half times the minimum subsistence level), as established in the relevant constituent entity of the Russian Federation, are entitled to those benefits. Payments are made to citizens until the child reaches the age of three years (previously, until the age of one and a half years).

186.From 1 January 2020, a monthly cash payment is made for children aged from three to seven years of age, consisting of 50 per cent of the minimum subsistence level, as established in the constituent entity (Presidential Decree No. 199 of 20 March 2020 on additional measures of State support for families with children).

187.With effect from 1 June 2020, the monthly child-care benefit for the first child of unemployed citizens and the minimum child-care benefit for the first child of working citizens was doubled to 6,572 roubles.

188.The maternity (family) fund programme was extended to 31 December 2026. The conditions for providing maternity (family) fund benefits have been changed. As of 1 January 2020, the right to maternity (family) fund benefits is granted to families in the amount of 466,000 roubles for the birth of the first child. From 1 January 2020, the amount of maternal (family) fund benefit for the birth of a second or subsequent child has been increased to 616,000 roubles.

189.With the spread of COVID-19, many businesses have shifted their employees to remote working.

190.In order to provide guidance for the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Labour has sent clarification of the current labour regulations on the use of flexible forms of employment, including remote working, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

191.In order to enhance the provisions of labour legislation on flexible forms of employment and the use of information and communications technology in labour relations, on 21 July 2020 the State Duma adopted at first reading Federal Act No. 973264-7 on amendments to the Labour Code of the Russian Federation concerning the regulation of distance and remote working.

192.In order to protect the life and health of medical workers, including women, who are the majority of workers in the health-care sector, Presidential Decree No. 313 of 6 May 2020 (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 313) granted additional insurance benefits for certain categories of medical workers.

193.Doctors, paramedical and nursing staff of medical organizations and ambulance drivers working directly with patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and patients with suspected cases of infection (hereinafter referred to as medical staff) are provided with additional insurance benefits in the form of a lump-sum insurance payment.

194.The following have been defined as the insured events upon occurrence of which the lump-sum insurance payment is made:

•The death of a medical worker as a result of a COVID-19 infection contracted in the course of the worker’s professional duties.

•Harm caused to the health of a medical worker in connection with the development of a disease (syndrome) contracted in the course of the worker’s professional duties or as a result of complications of an illness caused by COVID-19 as confirmed by laboratory tests (or, if laboratory tests cannot be conducted, by the decision of a medical commission based on the results of a computerized tomography scan of the lungs), which resulted in temporary incapacity for work but did not result in disability. The list of such diseases (syndromes) and complications is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.

•The permanent loss of working capacity established in accordance with the Russian legislation as a result of the development of complications of an illness caused by COVID-19 as confirmed by laboratory tests for COVID-19 (or, if laboratory tests cannot be conducted, by the decision of a medical commission, based on the results of a computerized tomography of the lungs), if the disease occurred in the performance of the medical worker’s professional duties.

195.The lump-sum insurance payment is made in addition to the payments provided for under Federal Act No. 125 of 24 July 1998 on mandatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases.

196.Pursuant to Decree No. 313, a temporary regulation has been approved for the investigation of insurance cases involving harm to the health of a medical worker due to the development of an illness (syndrome) contracted in the course of the worker’s professional duties or to complications resulting from a case of COVID-19 as confirmed by laboratory tests and resulting in temporary incapacity to work but not resulting in disability (Government Decision No. 695 of 16 May 2020).

197.The Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation have sent clarifications to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation regarding the conduct of investigations of the aforementioned insurance cases.

198.In order to encourage Russian businesses to strengthen the protection of the life and health of workers in the conditions of the spread of COVID-19, the Ministry of Labour issued Order No. 365n of 23 June 2020, which expands the list of preventive measures that are funded by insurance premiums for mandatory social insurance against industrial accidents and occupational illnesses, including measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

199.The Order provides for the use of insurance premiums to fund the purchase, inter alia, of personal protective equipment for respiratory protection (disposable masks and/or individual respiratory protective equipment with filters – respirators and/or reusable fabric masks), as well as face shields, shoe covers, type-1 hazmat suits, disposable gowns, antiseptic disinfectant and dispensers (equipment) for workers to clean their hands, and non-contact temperature measurement devices (equipment) and/or thermometers for taking workers’ temperatures.

200.In order to mitigate the negative impact of the spread of COVID-19, the Russian Ministry of Labour has sent recommendations to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation on how to organize efforts to improve access to social services for women and children victims of violence and to reduce the risks of domestic violence in families with children.

201.In the context of the pandemic, social service organizations providing services to women in situations of domestic violence have taken the necessary preventive measures, in accordance with the epidemiological situation in each individual region. Outpatient social services have been provided remotely. The acceptance of new clients for inpatient social services has been suspended in 5 per cent of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Social service organizations have mainly continued to operate as usual, but they are taking personal protection measures for social workers and the population. On-line technologies (Skype-consultation, messaging and social networks) are widely used for consultation, which is especially important in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Public outreach efforts have been strengthened to provide information on support measures, telephone numbers, services and institutions providing assistance in cases of domestic violence, including through the use of community campaigns (billboards, print, transport, television, media, Internet, and so on).

202.According to recent data from the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, social services organizations received 5,163 complaints of domestic violence in the period from January to April 2020, which is 90.3 per cent of the total received from January to April 2019 (5,719 complaints).

203.The children’s helpline service operates under a single nationwide telephone number, 8-800-2000-122, in all the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Not only children and teenagers, but also their parents and other citizens who need urgent psychological and other professional assistance may use that telephone line to seek advice.

204.In addition, women’s crisis centres and shelters in 28 constituent entities of the Russian Federation are operating regional telephone helplines and hotlines that provide psychological assistance to women who find themselves in extreme psychological and social situations.

205.The number of calls made to the family violence hotline from January to April 2020 was 3,586, or 72.6 per cent of the total made from January to April 2019 (4,936 calls).