Committee: Human Rights A
Topic: Rights of Women
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate: Chloe Jones
“Human Rights A” has the responsibility over the rights of women, children, human trafficking and access to information.
Throughout history women of all ages have been mistreated. They fall victim to discrimination and extreme violence. In 1979, the United Nations General Assembly passed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which defines the discrimination against women as any “distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex…on the basis of equality between men and women.” This Convention says that all states parties must condemn discrimination against women in all forms, and must work towards the equality of genders. March 8 is the celebrated International Women’s Day, and November 25 in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In the US, a woman is raped every six minutes and a woman is battered every 15 seconds. In North Africa, 6,000 women are genitally mutilated each day. Violence against women is rooted in a global culture of discrimination which denies women equal rights with men.
Russia believes that it is crucial to monitor and protect key human rights, especially those of women. Although the Russian Federation has struggled with human rights, it works tirelessly to give all humans equal opportunity. The Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law states (under Article 29 [Expression]) that “everyone has the right to freedom of thought and speech.” Throughout the entirety of their constitution, Russia makes a point of using the word “everyone” instead of “all men.” The Russian Constitution also states that everyone is free to operate within the limits of the inalienable rights and freedom, and the state does not have the right to publish laws cancelling or belittling the rights and freedom of any person. Russia has also signed and ratified many international conventions, such as the “European Convention on Protection of Human Rights and Basic Freedom,” and the “European Convention on Prohibition of Tortures” and the “Reference Brutal and Humiliating Advantage and Punishments.”
The Russian Federation acknowledges that there are issues surrounding women’s rights within its borders but has worked towards promoting women and gender equality. During the Russian Revolution, the change in women’s status was one the most important social changes throughout the USSR. The Revolution opened new doors and gave women legal and political equality. In 1917, full women’s suffrage was written into the Russian Constitution.
In the 1995 “Russian Committee on the Rights of Women” conference women’s rights activists met to discuss what can be done to improve women’s rights in the country, including improving the number of women in the Russian legislature and the education of women.
Russia released a report called "Russia in 2015: Development Goals and Policy Priorities” which paved a road towards gender equality by the year 2015.
Russia welcomed the “UN Gender Theme Group” (TG) into the country. TG supports initiatives of the government and civil society aimed at improvement of the state of women and attainment of gender equality.
One large government supported program “Syostri” (Russian meaning “sister”) Sexual Assault Recovery Centre works towards eliminating violence against women in the Russian Federation. They have a national phone line for women in relationships with domestic violence to call for help to escape a harmful relationship.
Russian has worked towards gender equality in the work force, and has “equal pay for equal work” written into their constitution. In the Russian workforce, women make up about 50% of all employed persons. Women make up over 80% of two extremely important work fields: education and public health service fields. Pregnant women or women with small children (ages one to three) are strongly advised not to work at night, and all areas of work are required to give women a three year paid maternity leave to give them sufficient time to raise their child before returning to work.
Along with improving the work force, Russia legally permits abortions for women and has made contraceptives and birth control methods publically available. In the 90s, family planning programs caused the number of unsafe and unhealthy abortions to decline by 50%.
Women are also the most active participants in the voting electorate in Russia.
The Russian Federation believes that the UN should pass and enforce more resolutions for women. Russia would also like to support the UN in the advancement of women, and will do so by promoting women not only within its own borders but also outside of the country.
SOURCES
http://www.unifem.org/news_events/story_detail.php?StoryID=765
"http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2533/russlegal.html" http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2533/russlegal.html
"http://www.omct.org/pdf/VAW/Publications/2003/Eng_2003_08_Russia.pdf" www.omct.org/pdf/VAW/Publications/2003/Eng_2003_08_Russia.pdf
"http://www.waytorussia.net/WhatIsRussia/Women/Facts.html" http://www.waytorussia.net/WhatIsRussia/Women/Facts.html
http://www.unrussia.ru/en/groups/gender.html
www.gorussia.org
"http://www.amnesty.org/russia/womens_day.html" http://www.amnesty.org/russia/womens_day.html
http://www.amnesty.org/russia/vaw.html
No comments:
Post a Comment