CEDAW alternative report presented by Russian LGBT Network
20/07/2010
Submitted by
The Russian LGBT Network
The Russian LGBT-NETWORK has presented the alternative report for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) holds its forty sixth session in New York. It is the body of the United Nations created for maintenance of observance of the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The representative of Inter-Regional Social Movement "Russian LGBT- Network" and the Coordinator of the Legal Assistance Program Kseniya Kirichenko took part in work of the session of the Committee. Earlier the Russian LGBT-Network haspresented the alternative report "Discrimination and violence concerning lesbian, bisexual women and transgender people in Russia" specially for the Committee (the Report in English http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bod...LGBTNetwork_RussianFederation46.pdf).
On July, 14th Kseniya Kirichenko has made the presentation of the report for the Committee Members where she has underlined four basic problems: absence of a direct prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity; infringement of the right to freedom of associations and assembly; hate speeches and hate crimes, as well as their impunity; absence of clear procedure for changing documents for transgender people, and neglecting their specific medical needs.
On July, 15th the discussion of the official Russian report has taken place. One of Committee Member, Kornelis Flinterman, asked Russian side about the situation of homosexual and bisexual women in Russia, about whether there is a discrimination concerning these groups, whether the rights of transgender people are fulfilled, and whether specificity of these questions is considered in public health services programs.
The head of the Russian delegation, the Deputy Minister of Public Health and Social Development, Maxim Topilin, has declared that in Russia discrimination on any grounds, including grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, is not allowed. As he said, there is no difference on grounds of sexual orientation or concerning transsexual people in the legislation.
"But there are traditions in the Russian Federation so we do not welcome excessive propagation of these questions. However, there is no antipropagation about it. There are not any infringements of special events for this issue", - Topilin has underlined.
He has also noticed that some cases of infringements can occur in practice. "But here we try to discuss these topics, first of all, within the limits of those bodies which bear corresponding powers - we explain to officials of the bodies who can face such subjects, inadmissibility of infringements - we try to conduct such educational work", - the head of the Russian delegation has told, without having specified, however, which organs are involved.
Also, following Kseniya Kirichenko's recommendations, two more questions on the themes connected with LGBT has been set by Committee Members.
As for the question about whether specific medical needs of transsexual people are covered by insurance programs, the Russian delegation has answered that it does not exist, but "Russia will consider this question if there is similar foreign experience".
Besides these topics, the question has been asked on whether homosexual marriages in Russia are supposed, and whether there is a discrimination at artificial fertilization and adoption.
Representatives of Russia have declared that according to the Family Code of the Russian Federation, a marriage is considered as a union between a man and a woman. Russia has not intended to reconsider a position about it yet.
As for artificial fertilization of women of homosexual orientation, according to a Russian side, in this issue there is not any restrictions and "the citizen of the Russian Federation uses it according to the programs which are financed from year to year". Only individual citizen of Russia could adopt a child, "it could not be adoption by the union".
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) holds its forty sixth session in New York. It is the body of the United Nations created for maintenance of observance of the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The representative of Inter-Regional Social Movement "Russian LGBT- Network" and the Coordinator of the Legal Assistance Program Kseniya Kirichenko took part in work of the session of the Committee. Earlier the Russian LGBT-Network haspresented the alternative report "Discrimination and violence concerning lesbian, bisexual women and transgender people in Russia" specially for the Committee (the Report in English http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bod...LGBTNetwork_RussianFederation46.pdf).
On July, 14th Kseniya Kirichenko has made the presentation of the report for the Committee Members where she has underlined four basic problems: absence of a direct prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity; infringement of the right to freedom of associations and assembly; hate speeches and hate crimes, as well as their impunity; absence of clear procedure for changing documents for transgender people, and neglecting their specific medical needs.
On July, 15th the discussion of the official Russian report has taken place. One of Committee Member, Kornelis Flinterman, asked Russian side about the situation of homosexual and bisexual women in Russia, about whether there is a discrimination concerning these groups, whether the rights of transgender people are fulfilled, and whether specificity of these questions is considered in public health services programs.
The head of the Russian delegation, the Deputy Minister of Public Health and Social Development, Maxim Topilin, has declared that in Russia discrimination on any grounds, including grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, is not allowed. As he said, there is no difference on grounds of sexual orientation or concerning transsexual people in the legislation.
"But there are traditions in the Russian Federation so we do not welcome excessive propagation of these questions. However, there is no antipropagation about it. There are not any infringements of special events for this issue", - Topilin has underlined.
He has also noticed that some cases of infringements can occur in practice. "But here we try to discuss these topics, first of all, within the limits of those bodies which bear corresponding powers - we explain to officials of the bodies who can face such subjects, inadmissibility of infringements - we try to conduct such educational work", - the head of the Russian delegation has told, without having specified, however, which organs are involved.
Also, following Kseniya Kirichenko's recommendations, two more questions on the themes connected with LGBT has been set by Committee Members.
As for the question about whether specific medical needs of transsexual people are covered by insurance programs, the Russian delegation has answered that it does not exist, but "Russia will consider this question if there is similar foreign experience".
Besides these topics, the question has been asked on whether homosexual marriages in Russia are supposed, and whether there is a discrimination at artificial fertilization and adoption.
Representatives of Russia have declared that according to the Family Code of the Russian Federation, a marriage is considered as a union between a man and a woman. Russia has not intended to reconsider a position about it yet.
As for artificial fertilization of women of homosexual orientation, according to a Russian side, in this issue there is not any restrictions and "the citizen of the Russian Federation uses it according to the programs which are financed from year to year". Only individual citizen of Russia could adopt a child, "it could not be adoption by the union".
