WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered: 

General Women, Peace and Security: 3/25;

Conflict Prevention: 1/25; 

Disarmament: 0/25;

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 1/25;

Participation: 2/25;

Peace Processes: 0/25; 

Peacekeeping: 2/25; 

Protection: 5/25;

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 2/25; 

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 0/25; 

Implementation: 2/25; 

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/25; 

Human Rights: 0/25. 

S/PV.7658: "The women of African States can make a substantive and unique contribution to achieving the objective of preventing and resolving conflicts on the African continent through the joint efforts of all interested parties, as there is a need to create the optimal conditions for achieving that goal, while not forgetting the central task of protecting African women and their safety and security."

WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered: 

General Women, Peace and Security: 0/5;

Conflict Prevention: 0/5;

Disarmament: 0/5;

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/5;

Participation: 0/5;

Peace Processes: 0/5;

Peacekeeping: 0/5;

Protection: 1/5;

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/5;

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 1/5;

Implementation: 0/5;

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/5;

Human Rights: 0/5.

S/PV.7847: "Terrorists have captured thousands of Yazidis, enslaved their women and children, forced them into marriage and abused them sexually."

WILPF/PeaceWomen themes covered:

General Women, Peace and Security: 0/2;

Conflict Prevention: 0/2;

Disarmament: 0/2;

Displacement and Humanitarian Response: 0/2;

Participation: 0/2;

Peace Processes: 0/2;

Peacekeeping: 0/2;

Protection: 1/2;

Reconstruction and Peacebuilding: 0/2;

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: 0/2;

Implementation: 0/2;

Justice, Rule of Law, SSR: 0/2;

Human Rights: 0/2.

S/PV.7847: "We support the activities of the Security Council and the entire United Nations system aimed at fully taking into account the needs of women and children in policies and efforts in the area of peacekeeping and recovery, including in education, healthcare and the broadening of economic rights and opportunities."      

Draft resolutions on Syria (S/2016/1026 and S/2016/846) do not include any gender-specific language.

The Russian Federation gave a statement affirming support for Women, Peace and Security but made no specific commitments.

Profit from Arms Transfer in 2015: $5,483,000,000

__________________________________________

UN Women Government Total Contribution: $0

The Russian Federation was ranked 52nd.

***Note: The 2016 GII Data is not available; provided data is of 2015. 

_________________________________

HDI (Human Development Index):
The Russian Federation was ranked 49.

The Russian Federation is included in the "Very High Human Development" category.

The Russian Federation provided female peacekeepers to MINURSO (0 women), MINUSTAH (1 woman), UNFICYP (3 women), UNISFA (0 women), MONUSCO (0 women), UNMIK (1 women), UNMIL (0 women), UNMISS (2 women), UNOCI (0 women), UNTSO (0 women).

S/PV.7643: "We believe it is important to underscore once again that we cannot accept attempts to exclude national peacekeeping contingents enjoying the Security Council’s mandate from responsibility for the commission of sexual exploitation and abuse."

All NGOs: 223 605

A 2012 law labeled a number of domestic NGOs as “foreign agents” —  traitors who promote the interests of Russia’s enemies. The law crippled the work of CSOs by imposing exhausting bureaucratic hurdles, enforcing endless inspections, and driving away potential partners and collaborators. In 2015, Russia’s Parliament passed another law,  allowing the government to designate foreign NGOs as “undesirable organisations” and be driven out of the country. The regime has further tightened its grip by cracking down on the rights of free assembly and freedom of speech. Unsurprisingly, the main targets of this persecution are organisations that promote human rights or engage in other activities that challenge President Vladimir Putin and his grip on Russian politics.                                 In order to obtain government grants, CSOs must demonstrate unconditional loyalty and total obedience to the government’s policies. Grants are given on an annual basis and only for particular projects selected by the ministry or by operators appointed by the president’s administration. Should an NGO step out of line by expressing dissent or working with “foreign agents,” its funding would be choked off. 

Key women's organisation's (ANNA) efforts in regard to gender issues include the following:

- Number of conferences: Unknown;

- Number of publications: 5+.

Types of social support provided: 

Education: Yes

Anti-violence: Yes

Women's empowerment: Yes

Gender-related training: No

Political participation: No

Anti-human trafficking: No

Women's health: Yes

Lobbying and policymaking: Yes

Fundraising: No

The Russian Federation hosted the following high-level events in 2016:

**Note: The information about the high-level events has been collected using available media sources.

In the October 2016 UNSC Debate on Women Peace and Security the representative of Russia announced that the state continues to oppose National Action Plans on the Implementation of UNSC 1325. However, "work is under way in Russia on a document of a different kind — the Russian Federation’s national strategy for action for women 2017 -2022. Its key areas of focus include increasing women’s participation in political life and the decision-making process; improving their economic situation, including promoting entrepreneurship for women; creating conditions conducive to better women’s health; preventing violence and protecting women from it; and overcoming stereotypes about men’s and women’s social roles." 

Military Expenditure in 2015: $66,421,000,000
_____
There is no National Action Plan on the Implementation of Resolution 1325.

Lower: 12.7%;

Upper: 17.1%.
 

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.07.

No gender differentiation in statistics provided by the State.

**Note: Data is available for 2011. As per Federal Law # 342-F3 (of 11/30/2011), the data on the number of police officers is not to be disclosed.​

Total Professional Judges:

Female: 62.2%;

Male: 37.80%.

Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.86

Unemployment rate (percentage of female/male labour force):
Female: 4%
Male: 5%

Estimated earned income (PPP US$):
Female: 17,496
Male: 29,321
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.60

Legislators, senior officials, and managers (%):
Female: 39, Male: 61
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 0.63

Professional and technical workers (%):
Female: 63, Male: 37
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.72

Jobs and Occupations Prohibited to Women:
Truck driver in agriculture; freight train conductor; deckhand (boatswain, skipper, assistant skipper and sailors of all denominations) on ships of all types of fleets as well as floating docks and cranes for loading grain, cement, coal and other dusty cargo; worker in integrated teams and longshoreman engaged in loading and unloading in ports and harbours; woodworker; installer of antennas at high places; mining rig operator; operator of chemical treatment of wells; lift machinist in oil and gas industry; bulldozer machinist; plumber involving the repair of sewer networks; metal and alloy smelter; driver of loading machine; pipe, furnace and flue cleaner; controller of speed of train wagons.

The enrollment difference between males and females is provided below (The theoretical maximum value is 100%. Increasing trends are considered a reflection of improving coverage at the specified level of education):

Literacy rate (%):
Female: 100
Male: 100
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1

Enrollment in primary education (%):
Female: 36
Male: 36
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1

Enrollment in secondary education: .99

Enrollment in tertiary education (%):
Female: 85
Male: 68
Ratio (0 = Inequality, 1 = Equality): 1.21

Gender is mainstreamed into legal framework in accordance with international law.

In 2005, the Parliament Assembly of the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States adopted the Model Law “On State Guarantees of Equality of Rights and Opportunities for Men and Women.”

Although there are some law provisions prohibiting discrimination, they usually do not regulate gender discrimination separately.

General Victim and Witness Protection Law (enacted in 2004 and amended most recently in 2013).

Russia has no law guaranteeing equal opportunities for men and women in employment or education.

Russia has not enacted a comprehensive gender equality law, and “neither the Constitution...nor other appropriate legislation, contains a definition of discrimination or expressly prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex.

The Russian Federation has no comprehensive law, programmeor action plan to address domestic violence, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs has not updated its domestic violence information since 2008.

No provision in the Russian Criminal Code specifically addresses honour killings.

Russian law prohibits rape and sexual assault and contains no exceptions for rapes committed by spouses or relatives.

In 2016, the Russian legislature decriminalised domestic violence, so that offenses that do not result in serious injury will be payable by a fine, and only second offenses will be considered a crime.

Gender perspectives in the Constitution:
Article 19:
- "All people are equal before the law and in the court of law";
- "The state guarantees the equality of rights and liberties regardless of sex, race, nationality, language, origin, property or employment status, residence, attitude to religion, convictions, membership of public associations or any other circumstance. Any restrictions of the rights of citizens on social, racial, national, linguistic or religious grounds are forbidden";
- "Man and woman have equal rights and liberties and equal opportunities for their pursuit".
Article 19 of the Russian Constitution guarantees equality between women and men.[xviii] However, Russia has not enacted a comprehensive gender equality law, and “neither the Constitution . . . nor other appropriate legislation, contains a definition of discrimination or expressly prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex.”

Article 20:
Requires the state to prosecute cases of private-public prosecution even if a victim withdraws her complaint, although prosecutors generally refuse to pursue an investigation or open a criminal case against the accused if the victim quickly recants.

Article 21:
- "No one may be subjected to torture, violence or any other harsh or humiliating treatment or punishment. No one may be subjected to medical, scientific or other experiments without his or her free consent".

Article 24:
- "It is forbidden to gather, store, use and disseminate information on the private life of any person without his/her consent".
- "The bodies of state authority and the bodies of local self-government and the officials thereof provide to each citizen access to any documents and materials directly affecting his/her rights and liberties unless otherwise stipulated under the law".

Article 34:
- "Everyone has the right to freely use his or her abilities and property 622 for entrepreneurial or any other economic activity not prohibited by the law".

Article 35:
- "Everyone has the right to have property in his or her ownership, to possess, use and manage it either individually or jointly with other persons".
- "No one may be arbitrarily deprived of his or her property unless on the basis of decision by a court of law. Property can be forcibly alienated for state needs only on condition of a preliminary and equal compensation".

Article 37:
- "Work is free. Everyone has the right to make free use of his or her abilities for work and to choose a type of activity and occupation".

Article 42:
- "Everyone has the right to a favorable environment, reliable information about its condition and to compensation for the damage caused to his or her health or property by ecological violations".

Article 45:
- "State protection for human rights and liberties in the Russian Federation is guaranteed".
- "Everyone has the right to defend his or her rights and liberties by any means not prohibited by the law".

Article 46:
- "Everyone is guaranteed protection of his or her rights and liberties in a court of law".

Article 47:
- "No one may be denied the right to having his or her case reviewed by the court and the judge under whose jurisdiction the given case falls under the law".
- "Anyone charged with a crime has the right to have his or her case reviewed by a court of law with the participation of jurors in cases stipulated by the federal law".

Article 51:
- "No one is obliged to give evidence against himself or herself, for his or her spouse and close relatives, the range of which are established by the federal law".

Article 62:
- "Possession of the citizenship of a foreign state by the citizen of the Russian Federation does not belittle his or her ranks and liberties or exempt him or her from the duties stemming from Russian citizenship unless otherwise stipulated by the federal law or international treaty of the Russian Federation".

Criminal Code:

Article 127.1:
Punishes the purchase and sale or recruitment, transportation, transfer, or receipt of any person for the purpose of exploitation.

Article 127.2:
Specifically prohibits “Slave Labour."

Article 131 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:
Criminalizes rape, with harsher sentences for cases involving a juvenile victim, multiple rapists or the victim’s death.

Article 132:
Punishes other forms of sexual assault under the title “Violent Actions of Sexual Character."

Due to amendments to the Criminal Code, women prisoners no longer serve sentences in high-security regimes.

In the Russian Federation, federal legislation allows for mothers of children under the age of 14 and pregnant women who have been convicted of less serious offences to have their sentences deferred, shortened or revoked. Female prisoners who are pregnant or who have young children and who are imprisoned for less serious offences may have their sentences deferred until their children have reached the age of 14. 

In 2016 the Russian Government adopted an amendment decriminalising domestic violence. Under the new law, domestic violence that results in bruising or bleeding but not broken bone has a penalty of 15 days in prison or a fine, a significant downgrade from the potential maximum two year imprisonment previously legislated.                                                                                                                                                                    

In the Russian Federation, the right to free legal aid is reinforced by the Constitution, but it is a well-known fact that the service is not as widely available as it ought to be.

According to ANNA (key women's organisation), the Russian Federation has “no established system of assistance to victims.” 

The Government of the Russian Federation does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. During the reporting period, the government referred 73 trafficking victims to an international organisation where they received care; however, the government lacked a national action plan to combat trafficking, a coordinating authority for anti-trafficking efforts, and funding in the federal and local budgets for trafficking prevention and victim protection. The government took no steps to fulfill commitments to implement a programme of Cooperation between Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Member States against Trafficking in Persons or to create an interagency committee to address trafficking. The government lacked a systematic process for the identification of victims or their referral to care, though reports indicated the government identified and assisted a limited number of victims on an ad hoc basis. Prosecutions remained low compared with the scope of Russia’s trafficking problem.

A systemic approach to protecting against sexual violence does not exist at the government level. On the contrary, in 2016 the Russian Government adopted an amendment decriminalising domestic violence. Under the new law, domestic violence that results in bruising or bleeding but not broken bone has a penalty of 15 days in prison or a fine, a significant downgrade from the potential maximum two year imprisonment previously legislated.

It is estimated that one woman is killed every forty minutes in Russia as a result of domestic violence. 

Federal Law "On Veterans" (1995) states veterans are provided with the following social support:

- Pensions, allowances in accordance with the legislation of Russian Federation;

- Monthly payments; 

- Provision of accommodation;

- Compensation for payment of premises and utilities costs;

- Health care and orthopedic care.

The Federal Law "On Veterans" is not gender sensitive, although it provides regulations on services and other rights awarded to military veterans, which would include women since the serve in the military alongside men in many areas. 

All-Russian public organisation of veterans (pensioners) of war, labour, armed forces and law enforcement agencies:

- Protection of civil, social, economic, labour veterans and personal rights;

- Improving the material conditions, medical and consumer veterans services;

- Legal assistance to veterans and their families;

- Patriotic education of youth;

- Military-historical work.

To receive a pension and other State services as a "Veteran of labour", a person must have been a minor during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and have at least 40 years (for men) and 35 years (for women) of work experience.

Services are technically in place, but are drastically inadequate to meet national demands.

1 national 24 hour free women’s helpline;

1,333 social services providing assistance to women in a “difficult life situation”(domestic violence is included in this category);

42 women's shelters offer specialised assistance to women who are victims of domestic violence.

National Registry (Genome):
With regard to crimes against sexual inviolability and sexual freedom of the individual, in which genomic registration will be carried out regardless of their severity, the special place these crimes aside due to the fact that the efficiency of the utilisation of genetic surveys for their disclosure is greatest. It was proved that "the formation of the genetic characteristics database advisable to start, especially in cases of sexual offenses, in the presence of the material and technical conditions for extending its scope and covering other serious crimes against the person". This makes it possible in some cases to use a genetic database and when none of the genotypes in the database are to be forensic matches registration data entities received.

Most financial support for anti-trafficking efforts are provided from international entities, and the vast majority or anti-human trafficking efforts are conducted by national NGOs (namely the Angel Coalition - who's website is currently unavailable). While anti-human trafficking services and resources do exist, they are inadequate to fully meet the needs of victims of human trafficking.

The Russian government demonstrated limited efforts to prevent trafficking during the reporting period. In June 2014, a Federation Council Deputy submitted a bill to significantly increase the penalties for inducement to prostitution, organisation of brothels, and advertisement of sexual services; the bill would increase the maximum sentence for these crimes to 10 years’ imprisonment, as opposed to a fine of 2,000 to 2,500 rubles ($30-$40).The Duma Committee for Criminal Legislation had not received the bill for review at the end of the reporting period.The government made no efforts to develop public awareness of forced labour or sex trafficking.The government did not have a body to monitor its anti-trafficking activities or make periodic assessments measuring its performance. The government did not take efforts to reduce the demand for forced labour.The government did not provide anti-trafficking training or guidance for its diplomatic personnel. It declined an offer from an international organisation to provide anti-trafficking training to the foreign diplomatic community in Moscow.

Many municipal trafficking shelters are actually domestic violence shelters and therefore are not equipped with the specific resources and knowledge to effectively address the needs to trafficking victims.

The Angel Coalition programmes and projects appear to be the main source for training on human trafficking in Russia, prevention, protection, and identification of trafficked persons.

The Angel Coalition operates international hotlines to provide immediate assistance to Russian speaking trafficking victims. Skilled experts provide free 24-hour legal and psychological consultations for victims and their families, offer recommendations, and provide other necessary help including contacts with police trafficking task forces who can provide immediate rescue assistance in countries around the world. The hotline is toll-free and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Russia has received 228,990 new asylum applications in 2016.

Russia is overall very resistant to participate in the global responsibility-sharing concerning the current migrant crisis. Russia did not participate in the February 2016 London Donor Conference, which brought together 45 countries and secured $US 6 billion in pledges for 2016 and US$6.1 billion in pledges for 2017-2020.

Instead, according to data published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Russia has contributed or pledged to contribute US$6.8 million to the UN funding appeals for the Syria crisis response – which amounts to 0.1 percent of the total of contributions so far, and 0.09 percent of the total requested by the UN for the year.

This low figure is consistent with Russia’s prior contributions to UN humanitarian appeals since 2012, which have averaged around 0.4 percent of the total received and 0.3 percent of the total requested. While Russia has in some years offered bilateral or other aid not directed specifically at the UN appeals, the amounts have ranged from US$860,000 to US$1 million – not enough to offset the disproportionately low contributions to those appeals themselves.

Oxfam International has calculated that a Russian fair share of resettlement based on the size of the country’s economy would be 33,536 places by the end of 2016. In response to the UN Refugee Agency’s Syrian refugee resettlement appeal earlier this year, Russia pledged no refugee resettlement places, but only to provide university scholarships for 300 Syrian students.