United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Estimates 2024.
(1) Amend articles 131 to 134 of the Criminal Code to repeal the exemption of perpetrators of statutory rape from criminal liability in case of marriage to the victim, ensure that the definitions of rape and sexual crimes are explicitly based on the lack of free consent and take into account coercive circumstances, and explicitly criminalize marital rape; (2) Amend article 20 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to abolish the system of private prosecution in cases of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, which places the burden of proof entirely on victims, and introduce public prosecution to ensure equality of arms in criminal proceedings; (3) Adopt comprehensive legislation to prevent and address domestic violence, develop a national action plan on domestic violence and amend the Criminal Code to criminalize on all forms of domestic violence, including physical, sexual, economic and psychological; (4) Ensure that all cases of gender-based violence against women are promptly and thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and adequately punished; (5) Ensure that victims of gender-based violence have access to legal assistance, free of charge when necessary, and to adequate shelter, protection orders and victim support services, and ensure adequate funding for civil society organizations providing such services; (6) Ratify the 2011 Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention); (7) Accelerate the implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee in its Views in X and Y v. Russian Federation (CEDAW/C/73/D/100/2016), O.G. v. Russian Federation (CEDAW/C/68/D/91/2015) and S.T. v. Russian Federation (CEDAW/C/72/D/65/2014).
(1) Conduct educational and awareness-raising campaigns targeting communities, policymakers and religious leaders and provide mandatory, systematic and effective capacity-building, education and training to judges, prosecutors, the police and other law enforcement officers on the strict application of criminal law provisions against harmful practices against women and girls, such as femicide, killings in the name of so-called honour, child marriage, forced marriage, abduction of women and girls for forced marriage and female gentile mutilation; (2) Adopt legislation explicitly criminalizing female genital mutilation; (3) Develop and adopt standardized procedures and protocols on gender-sensitive investigations and investigation methods and ensure the effective investigation, prosecution and punishment of perpetrators of harmful practices; (4) Ensure that victims of harmful practices have access to justice, including free legal aid where necessary, reparations and rehabilitation, including social, medical and psychological support.
(1) Revise article 13 of the Family Code to remove all exceptions to the minimum age of marriage of 18 years for women and men and explicitly criminalize violations; (2) Enforce the prohibition of polygamy, ensure that discriminatory religious and customary laws on divorce, inheritance and child custody have no legal effect and are not applied in practice, and raise public awareness of the risks of polygamous and unregistered unions; (3) Ensure that all cases of child marriage and forced marriage are prosecuted and that perpetrators are adequately punished, and provide support to women and girls in such forced unions.
(1) Develop and adopt, with a clear time frame, a national action plan to combat trafficking in persons and establish a coordination body to ensure its effective implementation at the federal and regional levels; (2) Develop national guidelines for the early identification and referral of women and girls victims of trafficking to appropriate services, integrating a victim-centred and gender-responsive approach, and provide systematic training on such procedures for the police, immigration officials and other law enforcement officers; (3) Establish shelters and safe houses for victims of trafficking.
The Russian Constitution does not contain specific provisions on violence against women and girls. While it guarantees equality before the law and freedom from discrimination, these provisions are not tailored to protect women and girls from gender based violence.
Russia’s legal framework addresses violence against women through certain provisions in the criminal code and family legislation, but there is no comprehensive law against violence against women and girls.