Gender equality and extension of women rights in Russia
within millennium development goals

5. Education

As to the education level males and females do not have serious differences. Up to the last time on average the males had a bit higher level of education, but mostly at the expense of the older ages. At the present moment by the young and the main able for work ages groups the females have educational level even somewhat higher than the males. This trend is reflected by the 1994 microcensus and confirmed by the latest data.

The high level of education of females is mostly inherited from the soviet period of the society development.

But on the whole the strategy of the higher education receiving and preparation for the professional activity is different for males and females. Females are inclined to acquiring of the full general education within the limits of general education schools and in professional training direct their attention to receiving of the highest level education. For males acquiring of incomplete general education at general education schools and then studying at the system of primary professional training is more typical.²³

Such difference in education receiving strategies reflects the professional segregation and difference in investment into the human capital return for males and females. High employment of males in the industrial sector, in Industry assumes receiving by them of professional education conforming to working specialities at a greater degree. At the same time the females' much higher wages can be provided only by higher education. For males employment in working profession with secondary special education is enough for providing their education return.

The gender disproportions in educational level in females favour show that levelling of investments into the human capital in it self, does not provide for Equality in economic and social males and females positions. The hidden discrimination mechanisms at the labour market depreciate the high level of females' education. One may say that the females have to run faster than the males do to have hope of arriving to the finish at the same time. The females' high level of education leads to its superfluity and to the fact that educational signal at the labour market work in different ways for gender groups. The employer at employing the workers makes greater demands to females' educational level or other labour force features than to those of males'.

There are other negative social consequences from educational gender disproportions. The most conservative views on distribution of gender roles within a family, patriarchal model adherence are demonstrated by young males of workers specialities not having higher education.²⁴ Thus, gender differences in educational levels may reproduce and fasten males' views hindering from carrying out of effective social policy directed at achievement of gender equality.