VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION - Office of the United ...

ANNA National Centre for the Prevention of Violence

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Alternative Report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women 46th session, July 2010 Examination of the 6th and 7th reports submitted by the Russian Federation

With the support of the International Federation for Human Rights

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART 1

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

1.1. Scale of the problem

1.2. Measures aimed at prevention

1.3. Lack of specific legislation on domestic violence

1.4 Lack of governmental support and public policies aimed at combating violence against women

1.5. Lack of statistics

1.6. Refusal to register complaints, failure to take steps and prejudice against female victims

PART 2

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SEXUAL VIOLENCE

2.1. Lack of reliable statistics

2.2. Sexual violence prevention measures, assistance and rehabilitation for victims

2.3. Legislative failings

2.4. Refusal to register victims' complaints

2.5. Negative stereotyping of women by government officials

PART 3

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TRAFFICKING

3.1. Scale of the problem of trafficking in women

3.2. Measures for the prevention of trafficking in women

3.3. Law

3.4. Prejudice on the part of state officials and the media against women victims of trafficking

PART 4

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OTHER FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

4.1. Bridal abductions

4.2. Honours killings

ANNEX 1

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COMPOSITION OF THE NATIONAL INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON

THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

ANNEX 2

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EXAMPLES OF NGO ACTIONS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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Introduction On 15 July 2010, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against

Women (CEDAW Committee) will conduct its periodic examination of the measures taken by the Russian Federation to implement its international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), ratified in 19811. Russia was last examined by the CEDAW Committee in January 20022.

This alternative report, submitted by the ANNA National Centre for the Prevention of Violence with the support of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), aims to provide the CEDAW Committee experts with an overview of concerns relating to violence against women in the Russian Federation.

Obligations under CEDAW in relation to violence against women Under CEDAW, governments and public authorities must take all necessary measures to

combat violence against women, in both the public and private spheres, whether committed by state representatives or non-state actors.3 Such measures include reforming legislation and ensuring that perpetrators are investigated, prosecuted and sanctioned. The failure to hold perpetrators accountable breeds a climate of impunity and sends a clear signal to society that violence against women is acceptable.

Preparation of the alternative report This report is prepared by the National Independent Commission On the Rights of Women and Violence Against Women (the Commission), founded in 2008 within the "ANNA" National Centre for the Prevention of Violence. The Commission is composed of Russian experts, representatives of NGOs with practical experience of working with women victims of violence and expertise in gender equality issues and women's human rights4. The key objectives of the Commission include:

? Monitoring and data collection using the methods developed by the Commission: ? Analysis of the collected data on the basis of Russia's international obligations, in particular

under CEDAW ? Identification of the main reasons for human rights violations in the area of gender violence and

development of recommendations to improve the current system of responding to the violent incidents;

1 The CEDAW Committee will examine the 6th and 7th combined periodic reports submitted by the Russian Federation. 2 For the recommendations issued by the CEDAW Committee in 2002, following examination of the 5th periodic report submitted by

the Russian Federation, see Concluding observations, Comments A/57/38, 3 In its General Recommendation 19 (1992),"Violence against women", the CEDAW Committee confirmed that under CEDAW the term `discrimination' includes violence against women, see womenwatch/daw/cedaw/recommendations/recomm.htm#recom19 4 See Annex 1 for list of members of the Commission

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? Drafting and publication of a report based on the monitoring results; ? Setting up a system of permanent monitoring of the violations of women's rights in the area of

gender violence; ? Raising awareness of the violations of women's human rights in the area of gender violence

through the media.

This Report has been prepared by national experts. The Report covers four main areas of concern identified by the Commission in the course of the monitoring: domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking in women and violence against women under customary and traditional practices.

The monitoring was conducted in Russia in 2008--2010 using the model developed by the Commission. The monitoring results do not claim to be comprehensive; however, they do provide a general assessment of the situation, identify key problems and trends, evaluate the steps taken to resolve them and analyse existing obstacles. The list of violent incidents contained in the report is neither exhaustive nor representative; however it is a vivid illustration of the nature and scope of violence committed against women in Russia.

The Commission also assessed the state system of tackling violent incidents against women, hence the emphasis in the report on the analysis of the current law and practice.

Main findings and concerns The monitoring uncovered some alarming facts. Despite the work done to combat violence

against women in Russia over the last 20 years, a systemic approach at government level does not exist. The Commission is deeply concerned by the high level of violence against women in families, by the number of murdered women and by the latency of sexual violence. The Commission is extremely concerned that law enforcement officers still do not regard such violence as a serious crime, believing it, rather, to be a `private matter' which belongs to the family sphere, or a personal problem of a particular woman. The key reason for this is the lack of specific legislation to combat violence against women5.

The record of many countries in the world shows that the most effective weapon in combating violence against women is an overt demonstration of the government's political will, supported by practical measures, including enactment of specific laws and governmental action plans. However, Russia's federal government still does not recognise the importance of such work. The Russian public

5 Worldwide, 89 states have now passed some form of legislation directly targeting domestic violence, and 90 have enacted provisions concerning sexual harassment. Some states have comprehensive laws on violence against women, which provide a number of legal remedies. Some ex-USSR states, such as Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Georgia, have passed laws on violence against women.

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is beginning to notice the inadequacy of the government's response6. The Commission calls upon the government of the Russian Federation urgently to adopt the

measures necessary to eliminate violence against women within the family and wider society, including laws and federal programmes in compliance with its international obligations under CEDAW.

We dedicate this Report to the memory of all Russian women who have died as a result of violence.

6 According to a Gallup World Poll 2008, 73.3% respondents believed that the state has not taken the necessary steps to combat domestic violence.

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