INITIATIVE GROUP OF THE SECOND RUSSIAN NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONGRESS APPEAL THE SECOND RUSSIAN NATIONAL WOMEN'S CONGRESS APPEAL

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Next year marks ninetieth anniversary of the First Russian National Women's Congress which unambiguously demonstrated that "Russian woman having faced the facts of being deprived of rights and underestimated as worker stepped into the field of public life to advocate interests of her own." (A.Shabanova) Today we are no less anxious about inadequate women's standing in economics and society and underestimation of their labor efforts. So we appeal to all women's public organizations to participate in conducting the Second Russian National Women's Congress in 1998. We also appeal to the Government of the Russian Federation for support to this initiative.

"Russian women's efforts are commensurate to men's in every area of labor and duty, national development and growth -- in farming and agriculture, in manufacturing and industry, in fields of science, literature and art, in governmental, public and private offices, at people's service as medics and teachers, in dutifully bringing up future citizens. Women should be entitled to protect their rights."

"Reforms, as being implemented currently, seem to be turned primarily against women of all social strata and ages. Increasing discrimination undermines the principles of democratic development in Russia. We believe that the Article 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation guaranteeing equal rights for men and women need be complemented by specific enforcement mechanisms. Gender audit of all legislation being drafted is required to assure its compliance with international legal documents on women's rights. Women's non-governmental and research organizations expert in public affairs and independent analysis would readily cooperate with the State Duma in order to make Russian legislation gender-indiscriminative."

The Initiative Group (Information Center of Independent Women's Forum, Consortium of Women's Unions, "Conversion and Women" Association, "Women for Social Initiative", "Women for Social Democracy", Women's Communication Network, "Geya" International Women's Center, "Modern Woman" Center, Center for Women's Initiative Support, and others)