A report issued by Amnesty International (AI) on the state of violence against women in the Russian Federation confirms worldwide concern that inadequate action is being taken by the state to protect women affected by violence in the family and to make sure that those who perpetrate it are held accountable. It is estimated that a woman dies from domestic abuse every hour in the Russian Federation. The report stresses the need for comprehensive measures to be taken by the government to educate the population and public officials on the seriousness of this human rights abuse, as well as provide services for those that have been victims of this crime. The Russian Federation is bound by international human rights treaties that it has ratified, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The report calls for the Russian Federation to enact legislation that specifically prohibits violence in the family, arguing it is required under the CEDAW.
Compiled from: “Nowhere to turn to -Violence against women in the family,” Amnesty International, February 20, 2006.