Abortions evoke lots of ethical questions worldwide and Russia is not an exception. Some of local politicians and social movements are calling to prohibit abortions in Russia. Both orthodox patriarch, the leader of Christians, and the religious head of Muslims requested to make elective termination of pregnancy illegal. These calls are supported by some government officials as well.
What are their motives? Do they think it will help to solve the problem of the forthcoming depopulation or what?
Calls to ban abortions in Russia
Historically, Russia was the first country to allow abortions in 1920. It was a revolutionary decision—all other countries did it much later. Thus, France legalized abortions only in 1975, the U.S. in 1967 (in Colorado only), Ireland in 1983, and Great Britain in 1967, Aif.ru reports.
In 1936 the Soviet Union under Stalin almost completely banned abortions except when necessary to save the mother’s life. The ban was lifted in 1955 (after Stalin’s death) due to its negative effects—the number of illegal surgeries became enormous with lots of ill-fated incidents.
Up to now, termination of pregnancy is not restricted in the Russian Federation. It’s done in local hospitals for free. A woman doesn’t need to meet any special requirements to ask for the procedure.
The children’s rights ambassador against abortions
Anna Kuznetsova, a wife of a Christian priest, was recently appointed as the new envoy for children’s rights. Kuznetsova is known for her ultra conservative views and no one was surprised when she started a campaign against abortions shortly after taking the office. The new ambassador is a mother of 6.
In her statement, Kuznetsova stresses that “not for the first year all the civilized world is against such a phenomena as abortion, and we support this position, but of course, we believe that this question requires a systematic approach”, according to Lenta.ru.
Conservative ideas dominate the Russian society today. The new ambassador for children’s rights, a wife of a Christan priest, vigorously campaigns against abortions.
According to Kusnetsova, now it is necessary to “focus on the protection of traditional family values, support mothers, families with children, and to help young families”, Kommersant.ru reports.
Concerns about consequences of return to traditionalism
Pavel Stotsko, a medical doctor and the leading analyst of the Research Institute for Health Organization and Medical Management of the Health Department in Moscow, states that “today Russian society and the government have a tougher attitude towards mothers who gave birth to an unwanted child. The conservative ideas are developing and condemning women who give birth out of wedlock. Women who are often affected by the public opinion become extremely stressed when they become pregnant unexpectedly”, as quoted by Gazeta-med.ru.
Doctor Stotsko criticizes the recent initiative to ban baby boxes for unwanted infants. Previously mothers could leave their newborns in such boxes anonymously, if they gave birth and didn’t wish to keep the baby. The program was launched in 2011 with the goal to lower infanticide rates.
What traditionalists want
However, Yelena Mizulina, the chairman of the parliamentary committee on affairs of family, women, and children, insists that baby boxes encourage mothers to abandon their newborn kids.
Russian Orthodox church also supports the calls to ban abortions. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow signed the anti-abortion petition a week ago. However, his spokesman Alexander Volkov refuted the statement. He said that the matter was not about the complete prohibition. The purpose of the petition was to make women who opt for a termination of pregnancy to pay for it. In other words, to remove abortions from the health insurance cover.
Conclusions
It’s hard to believe that abortions could be criminalized in the 21 century in a country as large as Russian Federation. As it once happened in the past, it may cause a spread of illegal abortions and exacerbate problems. More infants may be abandoned and women injured during unsafe surgeries.
However, traditionalistic views may again push modern realities backwards in today’s Russia. Or maybe a reasonable approach will prevail.
Read also:
- Surrogacy in Russia
- Russia to pay women who have 2 kids before the age of 30
- Demographic problems of Russia: Gender balance issues
- Stanford professor Hank Greely predicts the end of sex for fun or procreation
Share this article
I’m Pro-Life as I believe that life begins at conception so I would support the move. Adoption is a better option than abortion. I was watching a few You Tube videos last week where people were asked what their views on abortion were and the ones that were Pro-Choice were shown a video on how abortions were carried out and it was interesting how quickly they changed their attitudes. People need to ask themselves how they would’ve felt if their mothers aborted them.
You believe all what you find in YouTube?
Or only what suits your previous opinions?
“People need to ask themselves how they would’ve felt if their mothers aborted them.”
How can you feel anything if you don’t exist???
(Do I really need to think in such an absurd way? If I did that, maybe my brain woul burn like the Galaxy Note 7!)
People are amazing, really.
“Pro-Life” is deceitful terminology, a principle and expression used that would deprive women of having any choice in regards to having legal, ethical, or medically necessary abortions. The notion that life begins at conception is merely a personal or individual belief, as scientists, psychologists, and theologians did not universally agree or determine exactly when life begins. This consensus was reached when abortion was legalized in the US decades ago, and documented in the landmark legislation known as Roe vs. Wade. Nevertheless, late term abortion procedures (as depicted on You-Tube and other agenda-driven devices of media) are overwhelmingly regarded as unethical… Read more »
Russia have a huge problem, depopulation of the slavic component. This matter of abortion is not just an ethical debate, is a matter of survival for the slavic race. Because in the next decade will be less slavic russians and more asian russians. In the next generation maybe will be just another minority.
I honestly think you are mixing concepts.
If you want to avoid depopulation, increase the living standards of the people, so they can afford having a family, with all that that means (better health system, better education system …)
Abortion is just the last contraceptive mean.
And I have no idea why men who have never touched a woman (no matter the religion), who do not care about the children when they are born, must have a say in this.
For example, Germany has depopulation. And you cannot say that the Germans have problems with living standards. On the contrary, Germany is a “dream country” for migrants, as it turns out to be. All of this reminds me of an experiment called Universe 25. A scientist created paradise for mice. They had enough food, no diseases – the ill and weak mice were taken away. And at some moment they just stopped propagating.
If it’s true that people in Russia spend 40-60% of their earnings on food, how can they be expected to have enough funds to raise families? No, I don’t think that prohibiting abortions will increase population growth, especially if contraceptives were still available for use.
Terrance, At the moment abortions are free in Russia, easy to access. Contraceptives, on the other hand, are expensive (both condoms and pills are imported) and many women say they cannot afford the drugs. Besides, girls believe large portions of drugs on sale to be counterfeit. Russian men in general are unwilling to use condoms (and pay for them), comparing it with smelling a rose in a gas mask, and putting the concern about prevention of unwanted pregnancies on women. (Thus a much more reserved attitude of Russian women towards intimacy.) If abortions are no longer free (which is what… Read more »
Dear Elena,
you haven’t answered Terrance that about russian people spending 40-60% of their earnings on food. I wonder where people do this misconceptions from.
(I think food in Russia is quite cheap).
Fran,
Yes, Russians spend 40-60% of their income on food. It’s not misconceptions. Besides, 46% of Russians grow their own food as well (in addition to spending money on groceries).
Dear Elena,
thanks for the info.
Maybe the families I have known in SPB whiler learning Russian there are not so affected. Because they complained a lot about many things (exactly the way spanish people do, by the way -that is, only saying, doing nothing), but not about the money they spend on food.
And having almost everybody a “dacha” where to cultivate some products (potatoes, tomatoes…). But yes, Russia is much more than SPB, I should have thought this.
Thanks again.
(I do hope things improve in Russia one day!)
Fran,
When did you visit there? Since 2014 things changed in Russia a lot. Today all Russians complain about prices of food—they double every year. And yes, St. Petersburg is a privileged city, but there is much more to Russia than Moscow and SPB.
Elena,
exactly, I have started visiting SPB since 2014 (to study Russian .. and also meet the love of my life, a wonderful girl I met here in your site).
As I say, my friends there complain a lot about corruption, but not about food prices, that’s why I was a bit skeptical, only this.
Sure SPB and Moscow are privileged cities. Exactly like Madrid and Barcelona in Spain.
And exactly also Russia is like Spain: much more that its two biggest cities.
(Но пожалуйста, простите меня, я обожаю СПБ 😉
A woman’s reproductive rights are very important. However, even more important is the Right To Life. It is the most important and basic right. No person has the right to murder another. Without the Right To Life, one does not have any other rights, including reproductive rights. The key question is not whether the mother’s reproductive rights are being violated by a ban on abortion, but rather at what point the unborn baby is a human being. Likewise these discussions about economics and convenience are interesting, but they pale into insignificance when compared with the life or death of a… Read more »
To interrupt new life is great crime that women can ever do in her life. But from the other side there are many cases when it is the best solution first of all for the kid, when there are health problems. But when there is no health problems and women do abortion I cannot adopt their such a brutal decision.
If woman doesn’t want be a mother and she makes an abortion, it may be better than unwanted children and orphans. I saw a TV programm five years ago. Priests made a monument over a grave where remains from abortions were buried depicting a baby with an inscription: “Mum, don’t kill me!” This picture was on many churches in our city. But do these priests think about orphans? Who will raise and educate children whose parents don’t need them?
Dear Julia! I do not get into institute (not exatly orphanage, you hardly find there someone who is actually orphan) at my birth, I get into when I was teen. Not in Russia, but in an eastern country. That was poor equipped and tiny for that number of underage, started in first day: there was in the room just 6 bed for 10 (after 12) person. (Yes, XXI. century, and EU). The building was more similar to a prison (with grids), than a childcare center. That was a tempolary place, first base in the procedure, the long term institutes always… Read more »
I don’t understand women that have abortions! It is awful and very cruel!!! But I don’t support the idea to ban them because there are many poor people that cannot provide for their future children. To my mind such persons must use contraceptives. Every child has a right to life!