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Project’s goals are: (1) facilitate the shaping of National Gender Equality Mechanism in Russian Federation through the development of recommendations and building coalitions with representatives of governmental structures and civil society institutions; (2) facilitate gender mainstreaming in social policy in health care and (3) education; (4) continue resource (analytical and informational) support to gender experts’ community at various levels: from State Duma’s Office employees to human rights organizations.

1. FACILITATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL MECHANISM ON GENDER EQUALITY

Research

In the proposal, it was planned to analyze national mechanisms and gender equality policies in the countries with various levels of institutional provision for equal rights and opportunities for women and men. A list of countries from different regions of the world, whose experience seems to be of interest for us, was compiled: the list included EU, CIS, Norway, USA, Canada, Australia, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Brazil, Argentine, Chile, and South African Republic.

In 2006, specially developed methods were applied to analyze gender policies and work of national mechanisms in 12 countries (CIS and Brazil, Mexico, France, and Chile).

In 2007, analytical work was completed: UN program and policy documents on national mechanisms, as well as EU gender policy were analyzed. Summary analytical report about work of national gender equality mechanisms in the countries of Central, East and West-East Europe (former socialist countries) was written. Besides, analytical reports about the activities of gender equality mechanisms in 33 countries were written: for Russia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, UK, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Canada, USA, Tunisia, South African Republic, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Syria, Turkey, Thailand, Japan, Australia and New Zealand ¹.

By the end of 2007, a book on the research materials was compiled; currently it is under preparation for submission to the printing house (see book contents, Appendix 1).

Practical work

In spite of the fact that main efforts were focused at analytical work in 2007, there was also a second seminar on "Gender policies in European countries" (see agenda, Appendix 2) in order to popularize the research findings. Also, preliminary project materials were presented to public policy makers, in particular, to the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of Russian Federation, to the Inter-Ministerial Commission on equal rights and opportunities for men and women in Russian Federation, to the State Duma’s Committee on women, family and children affairs, UNIFEM, UNDP and seminars of women’s human rights organizations.

In the "Population" Journal (2007, ¹ 2, pp. 106–152) articles about gender equality and the status of women in four countries of Latin America (Argentine, Brazil, Mexico and Chile) were published (see Appendix 7).

Social impact

Work in this area helped to obtain deeper knowledge about world experience of the development of national gender equality mechanisms. In order to facilitate the development of the national gender equality in Russia, comparative analysis of national mechanisms for gender equality and the advancement of women in 50 countries from 6 continents have been conducted. For the first time in the history of Russian research publications such comprehensive review and analysis were presented to the researchers and women’ human rights activists. To carry out this task, an international working group of 30 experts in women’s rights from Russia and CIS countries had been formed. Political, economic, social and cultural factors positively or negatively influencing the efficiency of national mechanisms work were identified. Currently, an analytical report containing recommendations on the development of national gender equality mechanism in Russia is being prepared; this paper, after discussion with experts, will be submitted to relevant Committees of the State Duma of Russian Federation (new convocation), to the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development in Russian Federation.

Obstacles that have arisen in the course of the project realization and dissemination of the results

The essential difficulties at realization of the project were related with the obtaining of materials and identification of specialists for research on gender equality and the national mechanisms in different countries. In spite of the fact that there is a lack of the specialists on national mechanisms from Russian speaking expert community (Russia and some CIS countries), MCGS, through its long-term working contacts, managed to find experts on gender policy in CIS, some European countries, Latin America, USA and Canada. Nevertheless, in a number of cases search of gender experts even among the nearest neighboring countries (for instance, in Baltic countries or Georgia) did not bring positive results, and necessary materials were found in the Internet.

Another kind of difficulties relates to current political situation in Russia. In fact, the whole year 2007 was dominated by the preparation to parliamentary elections in December. Therefore cooperation of State Duma with non-governmental organizations was rather formal in 2007. Many deputies with whom gender expert community and NGOs had established successful working contacts actually avoided them. Currently in the new elected Duma the new structures of Committees are formed and, most likely, we again should work with new people, and form working contacts with them.

Forthcoming presidential elections in March 2008 might entail just another change in the political status quo. In this respect, all political figures prefer to stop activities and wait. Change of the government and the appointment of a new minister of health care and social development (it is this ministry one of the key elements of national gender equality mechanism is located) led to administrative changes within the ministry. In addition, new population policy aiming at population growth announced by the President changes focuses of social policy and functional responsibilities of those officials from the ministry with whom MCGS had established good working contacts. Gender Strategy of Russian Federation has not been adopted yet. Inter-ministerial Commission on equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women in Russian Federation has been dissolved. This Commission consisted of representatives from five federal ministries, gender experts and representatives of women’s NGOs and could play an important role in the realization of gender equality policies.

In such a political situation, project’s implementers decided to postpone the development of policy paper with recommendations on the development of national gender equality mechanism in Russia till the time after presidential elections. We plan to organize an extended expert seminar for the development of collective women’s movement decisions.

2. FACILITATION OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING INTO HEALTHCARE POLICY

Research

In 2007, research in this field was completed. When conducting analytical work, gender statistical indicators developed in the course of previous MCGS project supported by MacArthur Foundation were used.

In accordance with project objectives, the most typical cases of violations of women and men’s rights to healthcare, determinants of gender inequality in healthcare were identified, studied and described; the gender stereotypes associated with human rights violations in healthcare were considered.

Besides, men and women’s interrelations, as clients of medical services, with the state, municipal and private healthcare providers were analyzed; legal, administrative, financial and professional sources of gender inequality in healthcare were identified.

Methodology

Gender analysis of health and healthcare is the examination of the impact of gender relations onto women’s and men’s health, the healthcare as social institute and what political, economic and administrative measures could be taken to minimize gender inequality.

Regarding health, gender inequality appears in the systemic interactions of individual/personal and institutional factors impacting health and behaviors of men and women.

We have allocated two groups of factors influencing the formation of gender inequality in this sphere. The first group concerns the peculiarities of the healthcare system functioning from the point of view of the specific needs in medical services in men and women. The basic of these distinctions are gender stereotypes on the traditional men and women social roles: maternity as a "natural assignment of women", woman as "hearth keeper" and man as "breadwinner", physical weakness of female sex, and the identification of the men’s health with sexual capacities. Healthcare system, to a certain degree, integrates such stereotypes - in ideology (the concept of health and illness); at institutional level limiting the issues of women’s health to medical care of pregnancy and maternity and virtually full ignoring the problems of men’s reproductive health); in the common practice of rendering medical assistance (when the man’s body is represented as a standard of medical intervention).

The second group contains factors external for healthcare: existing gender segregation of labor; gender differences in incomes, their sources and sizes; features of healthy behavior and life style connected with traditional gender values.

We found that these factors put both women and men in a disadvantaged position, and the degree of their impact appears in combination with other forms of social differentiation: social-economic status, age, ethnic and religious/cultural affiliation.

Gender analysis of healthcare polices considers gender relations as primarily integrated into political process. Distribution of responsibilities, making decisions and evaluation of their efficiency have gender dimension. Policy decisions and actions in healthcare bear important social consequences.

So, engendering health and healthcare contributes, first, to better understanding factors influencing the health of women and men and use this knowledge in practice; second, to consider all roles and stages of women’s life cycle when assessing health, not only ones related to women’s fertility; third, to boost men’s responsibility for their health and the health of their partners.

Practical work and dissemination of results

Experts’ meeting, "Gender issues in state healthcare policy" (16 February, 2007), was conducted, where the following reports by invited experts were discussed: Grigoryeva, N.S., Gender evaluation of the National projects "Health" and "Population policy" and Chubarova, T.V., About some findings of the realization of "Gender Dimensions of Health and HealthCare" Project. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of Russian Federation, State Duma’s Committee on Healthcare, experts, and representatives of women’s and health professionals NGOs.

In the framework of collaboration with the "Philosophy of Health" program, the MCGS took part in the First International Conference called "The issues of women’s health and the ways of their solving" (8–9 February, 2007) at the Russian Academy of Governmental Service under the President of Russian Federation. MCGS conducted a special panel called "Social aspects of women’s and men’s health: modern approaches to the issues of gender and health". There were three reports presented and discussed there: Rimashevskaya, N.M. "Health factors: gender analysis at macro- and microlevels"; Grigoryeva, N.S. "Gender in healthcare" and Ballaeva, E.A. "Gender mainstreaming in healthcare policies". About 50 practicing medical doctors, representatives of health care system, RAGS lecturers took part in section panel’s work.

Expert T. Chubarova informed about project’s results as a main presenter of the public discussion called "National Health Care Project: What Next?", 18 January 2007, as well as in her speech at the round table "Inequality in Health Care" organized by the Institute of independent social policy and European WHO Bureau, Moscow, 15 November 2007. She also presented a report "Health Care in Russia: is there an alternative?" at the round table meeting "Modernization of Russian health care system", Department of social sciences of the Russian Academy of Science, 20 November 2007.

On the results of the work a monograph has been published called "Health and Health Care in Gender Dimension". M., 2007. 240 p. (see annotation and contents, Appendix 3).

The book presents analytical materials devoted to general organizational characteristics of healthcare in Russia and opportunities provided by gender analysis of healthcare policies. Particular focus is made on healthcare problems directly related to the realization of the priority national projects in healthcare and population development. The research was conducted using gender indicators of health and health care developed in the previous MCGS project, official statistical data, data from the Monitoring of economy and population’s health in Russia (RLMS, 1996–2002), National survey of living standards and public participation in social programs (NOBUS), research findings of ISESP RAS. This is an innovative publication opening wide perspectives for further research, because gender issues in health and healthcare in such an extensive volume have not been considered before in our country.

The book was distributed among the round-table participants² where the book was presented (see Appendix 4) and among the participants of the conference of the Russian Federation of Independent Trade-Unions (85 copies on the request of the Federation). Besides, 100 copies were given for distribution at the "Women’s Health" conference (Philosophy of Health Project). Currently, the "Health and Health Care in Gender Dimension" is sent out to federal and regional authorities; Public Chamber of Russian Federation; leading academic institutions of Russian Academy of Sciences and Russian Academy of Medical Sciences; representatives of UN, WHO, UNDP and UNIFEM in Russia; women’s and human rights organizations; universities and higher medical educational institutions in the regions of Russian Federation.

In addition, project results were presented 16 April - 15 June, 2007 in the course of internet-conference "Health care: organization, management and responsibilities issues" (web address: http://www.socpolitika.ru/rus/conferences/3985/3989/index.shtml).

The results of monitoring and gender analysis of current legislation and statistics in healthcare, realization of national health care projects and demographic policy were publicized in 12 issues of the electronic digest and newsletters posted on MCGS site http://www.gender.ru.

Expert conclusions and policy recommendations on national projects, "Health" and "Population Policy" were presented at the meeting of the Committee on social issues of the Public Chamber of Russian Federation; at the "Gender issues and the improvement of demographic situation" conference organized by the government of Moscow and the Department of gender research of the Russian State University of Humanities; at the meeting of the Presidium of the Social Sciences Department of the RAS; Academic Council of the Institute of Social and Economic Issues of Population RAS.

Analytical paper, "Women’s rights in healthcare", was sent to the Committees of the State Duma on health care and on women’s, family and children affairs; to the Ministry of health care and social development of Russian Federation; to Public Chamber of Russia and organizations partnering with the project. Also, research findings are presented in the articles (see Appendix 7).

Printing materials were distributed among the participants of the All-Russia Forum "The health of nation as a basis for well-being of Russia", conference "The issues and solutions in women’s health" and seminars’ participants.

Social impact

Cooperation and working contacts with the governmental authority bodies, civil organizations on the protection of citizens’ right to health, as well as with professional medical unions and institutions. Among them, in particular, there are the following:

1. Department of medical and social issues of maternity and childhood under the Ministry of Health care and Social Development in Russia.

2. State Duma’s Committee on Health Care.

3. Faculty of Public Administration of the Lomonosov Moscow State University.

4. State research center of preventive medicine under the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of Russian Federation.

5. National Research Institute of Public Health under the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

6. Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination.

7. All-Russian public organization "League of Patients’ Advocates".

8. Research Centre of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the RAMS.

9. Institute for Socio-Economic Studies of Population (ISESP) RAS.

10. Institute of Economics RAS.

11. The "Philosophy of Health" Program ("Women’s Health" Project) realized with the support from the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of Russian Federation.

MCGS exchanges information and methodology with these institutions, develops joint actions to facilitate gender equality policies in the sphere of health care.

Realization of the project gave an opportunity to familiarize the employees of the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development in Russian Federation, deputies and employees of the office in the relevant committees of State Duma RF, members of the Public Chamber of Russian Federation with the principles of gender mainstreaming in health care policies; to show social and economic efficiency of gender mainstreaming and opportunities of its application in national projects in health care and demographic policy. This was reflected in the following legal and administrative documents:

• Federal Law "About additional measures of state support to families with children", ¹ 256–FL, 29.12.2006;

• Federal Law "About provision with the allowances on temporary disability, pregnancy and delivery of the citizens subject to compulsory social insurance", ¹ 255–FL, 29.12.2006;

• The Decree of the Government of Russian Federation "About rendering high-tech medical assistance to the citizens of Russian Federation on the account of federal budget in 2007" (5 May 2007 ¹ 266);

• The Order 47 of the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of Russian Federation "About additional clinical examination of citizens working in state and municipal institutions in education, healthcare, social protection, culture, physical culture and sport and research institutions" (17.01.2007).

• The project contributed to involve in citizens’ rights to healthcare protection and gender examination of current policies over 40 leading researchers dealing with the issues of economy, economic sociology, law; over 20 practicing medical doctors and health professionals (participants of the "Women’s Health" program) and 30 healthcare managers.

3. FACILITATION OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING INTO EDUCATION POLICY

Research

Due to objective reasons, research in this area postponed to 2008. On the one hand, it is conditioned by the fact that in education there is no bare and direct discrimination of women and they, perhaps, possess equal rights in the largest degree compared to other spheres. Still, hidden discrimination in kind of the translation of traditional gender stereotypes in textbooks and curricula is quite common (this issue was in detail analyzed in the previous MCGS project supported by MacArthur Foundation). On the other hand, large volume of work in the directions of "national mechanism" and "health care" consumed much effort of project participants and, as a result, research on education had to be postponed.

Nevertheless, it does not mean that no preconditions for such work were made. In November 2007 a meeting of experts took place called "Equal rights and opportunities in higher education" (see agenda, Appendix 6). Main problems requiring study were identified at the meeting. These are, first of all, gender consequences of joining Bologna Declaration by Russia in higher education and the impact of education to gender segregation in the labor-market. Currently analytical work is under way.

Practical work

Project employees were invited to the international conference "Liberal education and social context: gender issues" which took place at the faculty of philosophy and political science of the Saint-Petersburg State University. There were about 80 researchers and lecturers from universities and research centers from Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Finland, Czech Republic and Japan. Main topics of reports and discussions were: liberal education as a factor of providing for gender equality; gender aspect of education in 21-st century (including the integration of Russian higher education into Bologna process); gender stereotypes in education; training and retraining of teachers/lecturers on the basis of opening new specializations in gender issues etc. Project employees made 3 reports at a plenary session and contributed to sections’ work; their papers were published in the conference proceedings (see Appendix 7).

4. RESOURCE (ANALYTICAL AND INFORMATIONAL) SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY OF GENDER EXPERTS

During the year, MCGS employees provided consultations on the requests of governmental bodies, universities, and academic institutions. Public organizations and individually - for graduate and post-graduate students, persons working for doctor’s degree, researchers, lecturers, journalists.

In summer 2007, at the request from the Presidium of RAS on the preparation of materials for PACE conference "Image of Woman in Advertisement", comments and recommendations to the PACE Resolution were written by O. Voronina, E. Ballaeva and L. Lunyakova. The document was sent by e-mail to the address of Oleg Gogunov, the Deputy Head of the Public Relations Department of the RAS Presidium and to the State Duma of Russian Federation.

To render informational support to the community of women’s rights experts. New materials were posted on MCGS’s site, library works regularly. The reading room of the library was attended by trainees/students and researchers from Moscow and other cities of Russia, Japan, Germany and Poland.

105 new titles/units of issue (books, brochures, journals, CDs) were added to the MCGS’s library in 2007. Among them there were 16 titles in foreign languages, 13 abstracts of doctor’s or candidate’s dissertations in humanities with the application of gender methodology, 17 issues of periodicals. New library units are put into electronic accession catalogue on MCGS site www.gender.ru.

In the beginning of 2007, our site design was changed. In addition to regular headings and three constant divisions of the digest (Gender issues of Health Care, Gender Issues of Education and National Gender Equality Mechanism), there were full versions of three books published by MCGS with the support of MacArthur Foundation posted there: 1) Gender as a tool of knowledge and transformation of society / E. Ballaeva, O. Voronina, L. Lunyakova, M., 2006. 304 p.; 2) Gender examination of textbooks for higher school / Ed. O. Voronina. Ì., 2005. 260 p.; 3) Gender mainstreaming as a strategy of transformation of economic and social policy in Russia / Ed. E. Ballaeva, L. Lunyakova. Ì., 2005. 160 p.

By December 31, 2007 38,016 site-visitors were registered.

For dissemination of the new knowledge on women’s rights and popularization of gender equality concept, MCGS used not only academic channels, but also mass-media. Apart from consultations to journalists preparing articles on gender, MCGS employees participated in the preparation of radio and TV programs. In particular, O. Voronina presented project’s findings on Mayak radio, in TV programs and talk shows on national channels: The First Channel (Pervyi Kanal) and TVC, and Capital City ("Stolitsa") TV Channel.

In the framework of the project there were specially involved over 100 experts and activists from NGOs; over 40 leading researchers and lecturers from higher educational institutions dealing with the issues of economy, economic sociology, and law; 20 practicing medical doctors (participants of the "Women’s Health" Program), about 30 specialists in health care and education management, trade-union activists.

Dr. Olga Voronina,

MCGS Director

January, 30, 2008

¹ Countries analyses of which were not planned in the project are given in italics. But we found it important to consider their experience of building of national mechanisms on women’s rights and gender equality.

² A journalist Ludmila Mazurova, the participant of the round-table, has published her thoughts ("What sex are health problems") and comment on the book in "Literaturnaya gazeta" N2 (6154), 2008, January, 16-22 under the heading "Human" (see Appendix 5)