The war of aggression in Ukraine has weakened the position of women in Russia.
On Women’s Day, March 8, more than ten Russian activist groups published their petitions to end the war and improve the status of women in the country.
The effects of the war reach all parts of society, but women in particular have to suffer from the arbitrariness of the administration. For example, the war has increased the threat of violence in families, poverty in families with children, political oppression and inequality in working life, activists write (you go to another service).
Activists are afraid, (you switch to another service) that the warring Russian state is now showing by example that the practice of violence is acceptable, whereby more and more women, children and sexual minorities become the victims of violent behavior.
Domestic violence is one of the most common forms of violence in Russia. In 2017, the country’s administration changed its legislation (you switch to another service) so that abuse of a child or spouse within the walls of the home is no longer punished.
Groups promoting women’s issues have been demanding changes to the law for years.
The restriction of abortion is frightening
Sending men as cannon fodder to the front can weaken Russian women’s right to self-determination, activists are afraid (you switch to another service).
Russia has been around for a long time affected (you switch to another service) from low birth rates. The country’s population is shrinking and in 2022 Russia’s birth rate was the lowest since 1943-1944, when the majority of men fought in World War II.
In January, the president Vladimir Putin ordered by the government (you switch to another service)to solve the problem of the shrinking population together with the Russian Orthodox Church.
Instead of the government proposing an end to the war to save lives, the Kremlin hinted at restricting the right to abortion.
The government proposed that the right to abortion should be removed from the scope of public healthcare. If the decision enters into force, in the future abortions would only be available in private clinics, which would significantly reduce the availability of the procedure.
The Kremlin believes such a policy would encourage women to have more children.
Activists note in their appeal that Russia’s demographic problems have nothing to do with abortions, but rather poverty and war that kill people.
Because of the war, equality in working life has been set back
Numerous sectors of the economy have suffered as a result of the war started by Russia and the sanctions imposed by Western countries.
Sanctions have given birth to 12 percent inflation (you switch to another service), which has eaten away at people’s ability to pay. The weakened economic situation in Russia especially affects service industries, such as the beauty, cleaning, restaurant and tourism industries, where many women of different ages and backgrounds work.
In addition in 2022 (you switch to another service) In Russia, the legal basis for discrimination against transgender people in the labor market was created when transgenderism was added to the list of psychiatric “disorders”.
In practice, the increase means that a transgender person cannot work in public organizations, such as a teacher or civil servant.
The business launch is reflected in women and children
Activists oppose (you switch to another service)The Kremlin’s efforts to militarize society from kindergarten onwards. For example, they demand the abolition of the so-called “patriotic classes”.
The Kremlin introduced the new subject in September. The classes teach, among other things, patriotic values.
The partial movement affects the life of every Russian. Activists by (you switch to another service) business support has huge social and economic consequences. It destroys families and takes away children’s right to their father.
Many Russian men have been forcibly conscripted and sent to the front against their will.
At the same time, the responsibility of supporting the family falls exclusively on women. According to statistics every Fifth Russian child (you switch to another service)grows up in a family where the salary is not enough to live on. It is feared that the number of families living in poverty will increase in the future.
Women suffer the consequences of political activism
Russian law enforcement authorities are from 2022 started more and more often (you switch to another service) persecute women activists. Women have been punished especially for expressing anti-war opinions.
For example, in Chechnya, Dagestan, Sakha, Buryatia and Tuva, women have resisted campaigning and war.
According to activists, in addition to police violence, women are threatened by gender-based violence. In addition to home searches, arrests and torture, women who oppose the war may be subjected to sexual violence or threats. In addition, the authorities often threaten women with child custody.
The war weakened the position of disabled women
After the start of the war, the life of disabled women in Russia began to deteriorate. This is primarily due to the fact that Russian soldiers injured in the war put a strain on services for the disabled.
Russian administration has promised to military invalids (you transfer to another service) tangible compensations and benefits, for example to obtain prostheses and medicines, but at the same time it has left other people suffering from disabilities to rely on their own luck.
Russia is on its own initiative terminated cooperation (you switch to another service) with many countries that produced, for example, prosthetic technology.
Forced to become migrants
According to activists, many Russian women who oppose the war have had to leave their homeland to protect their families from oppression and violence.
For example, many pregnant women leave Russia to give birth to their children in a country where the political climate is not as harsh as in Russia.
Read more: Amalia from St. Petersburg took out a loan and went to Argentina to give birth – pregnant Russians became part of the street scene in Buenos Aires.
An organization that helps refugees in the petition (you switch to another service) we are also concerned about the situation of women fleeing Ukraine.
between Russia and Ukraine done (you switch to another service) in 2022, more than two million border crossings, but there is no information on how many of those who crossed the border were refugees and how many were forcibly displaced.
About Ukrainian refugees the majority is (you switch to another service) women and children.
According to activists, the situation of Ukrainians forcibly transferred to Russia can be compared to victims of human trafficking.
collected sentences handed down to ordinary Russians last year for this story. You can test whether you would avoid a conviction.
You can find the latest news about the situation in Ukraine in this updated article.
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