Ζενωθνΰ Ολώρ...
  N 4, 2002

Progressiveness of women movement for social development*

Progressiveness of women movement for social development is a system of indices and activities permitting to determine the scope of positive consequences of women movement activity, aimed at overcoming of gender asymmetry and creation of conditions for self-realization of personal potential of women.

These indices can comprise:

  • passing (under influence of women movement) of state decisions aimed at obtaining of gender equality (se Equality of gender);
  • scope of spreading by women organizations of gender equality ideas in different society groups;
  • availability and effectiveness of women initiatives aimed at increase of women self-consciousness and promoting them to the posts of decision-makers;
  • creation of models of stirring women behavior in different public spheres, promoting self-realization and creative self-expression of a considerable number of women.

Liberal democratic current of Russian women movement of the beginning of the XX century can be defined as progressive one; under its influence the possi-bilities for general women education were improved, the high education for women was established, free access to new professions, voting right for women, right to oc-cupy state posts and a number of civil rights were achieved.

Short history of modern Russian women movement does not allow to for-mulate scientific summarizing on the level of its progressiveness. Nevertheless we can draw a conclusion as to some positive tendencies: active influence of a number of women organizations on legislators in the period of working out of the new Constitu-tion of Russia, participation in working out of draft laws aimed at decreasing the level of gender asymmetry in them, including the law on equal rights and equal possibili-ties for women and men.

Progressiveness of women's movement for social development (English)

Literature
Ayvazova S. G. Women in the labyrinth of equal rights. M., 1998. 405 p.
Lakhova E. F. Women movement in the years of reform: problems and prospects. M., 1998. 78 p.
Melnikova T. A. Women movement in Russia: traditions and innovations. M., 2000. 180 p.
Khasbulatova O. A. Experience and traditions of women movement in Russia (1860-1917). M., 1994. 136 p.

© O. A. Khasbulatova

*from Dictionary of Gender Terms / Ed. by A. A. Denisova / Regional public organization "East - West: Women Innovation Projects", M.: Information XXI century, 2002. 256 p.