Legalizing Abortion, Russia´s Position.

Official Name:                       Russian Federation

Capital:                                   Moscow

President:                               Vladimir Putin

Government Type:                 Semi-presidential federation

Official Language:                  Russian

Population:                             142, 423, 773 hab

Area:                                       17, 098, 242 sq km

Coin:                                       Russian Ruble

GDP:                                       $3.718 trillion US dollars

Religion:                                 Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2%

ONU Member since:              1945 as USSR; 1992 as Russia

History:

Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.

Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household.

The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. After defeating Germany in World War II as part of an alliance with the US (1939-1945), the USSR expanded its territory and influence in Eastern Europe and emerged as a global power.

The USSR was the principal adversary of the US during the Cold War (1947-1991). The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the decades following Stalin’s rule, until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics.

Following economic and political turmoil during President Boris YELTSIN's term (1991-99), Russia shifted toward a centralized authoritarian state under the leadership of President Vladimir PUTIN (2000-2008, 2012-present) in which the regime seeks to legitimize its rule through managed elections, populist appeals, a foreign policy focused on enhancing the country's geopolitical influence, and commodity-based economic growth. Russia faces a largely subdued rebel movement in Chechnya and some other surrounding regions, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.

Committee: Human Rights

Topic: Legalizing Abortion

Measures on Legalizing Abortion Internationally, is the topic we are going to discuss in this United Nations Model. Abortion is allowing woman to exercise the right to make their own choices, decide either she want to have a baby or not; in relation to her age, financial and relationship stability. It´s not the government´s decision to legislate against woman´s choices or decisions. Laws that ban abortion and make it illegal, are violating women´s human rights based on the agreements made at the UN International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The legalization of abortion, can and will prevent the unnecessary suffering and deaths of women. uhdufhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Many people believe that personhood begins at conception, and therefore abortion is the immoral killing of an innocent human being. They say abortion inflicts suffering on the unborn child, and that it is unfair to allow abortion when couples who cannot biologically conceive are waiting to adopt. By the other side, others say that choosing abortion is a woman's right that should not be limited by governmental or religious authority. They say that pregnant women will resort to unsafe illegal abortions if there is no legal option. And by legalizing abortion unnecessary suffering and deaths of women can be prevented. It is obvious that abortion will continue being a controversial problem or conflict for centuries to come.

In Russia, abortion is free. After China, Russia has the highest abortion rate in the world: in 2015, there were 930,000 abortions performed in the country; abortion is largely used as a form of contraception. Russia´s policies in abortion haven’t been always the same. In 1920, spurred by communist ideas about gender equality and women’s rights, the Soviet Union became the first state in the world to legalize abortion. However, abortion was criminalized again in 1936, under Stalin’s rule. But the ban on abortion didn’t work. The procedure was still carried out regularly, although illegally, and homicides of newborn children rose. And by 1955, Soviet officials legalized abortion again, and it’s remained that way since. Russia's most powerful cleric the Russian Orthodox Church headed by patriarch Kirill has called on the government to stop supporting abortions. More than 300 000 people have signed the petition to ban abortions in the country. Despite appearances, the Russian Orthodox Church has little influence over reproduction practices in Russia. Although 80 percent of Russians identify as Orthodox Christians, only 10 percent actually practice the religion and lead their lives according to its principles. The banning of abortion will not bring any economic benefit to the country. It is highly likely that the amount save on abortions will be used on subsequent treatments or complications caused by “illegal abortions”. If Russia ever bans abortion, it will not be done on the basis of religion or a humane approach to human life. Russia stands on the brink of a demographic hole, and, given the vast territory of our country, one needs to maintain the number of people, who will live on this territory. 

Based, on the avant-garde ideas of a socialist future. The Communist Party theoretically endorsed women’s “equal rights,” but women were still “not free from their natural duty” during Stalin´s time.  Nevertheless Russia legalized abortion years later, and include it in its health insurance. In the USSR, abortion was largely used as a contraception method, and it has become a recognized social practice since then. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the rate of abortions has declined gradually, but it stills remains abnormally high on the country. It has also been numerous attempts to change Russia´s laws on reproductive rights. Putin´s political party, supports the conservative trend, nevertheless, they understand that banning abortion would lead to a social catastrophe. Since embracing the pro-life movement, would raise poverty and overcrowd the country´s orphanages. Going back on time, to Stalin´s rule when abortion became illegal, demonstrated that birth rate started to increase, but then it returned to the original level. Nonetheless, in all times, human rights activists and liberals in Russia have unanimously opposed calls to restrict access to abortion.

Denying abortion, would not only mean, denying the women’s right to decide for herself; it will also increase the possibility to harm her heath, all these because if a person does actually wants to do something, they will find a way to do it; and in these case, illegalizing abortion, would promote clandestine abortion centers, which will not only be illegal, dangerous and insanitary, they can also cause more health issues than good ones, and this issues will be manage sooner or later  by the government, which also means more money expenses. This money saved by banning abortion, will be duplicated by saving women with secondary effects caused by a wrong abortion procedure, such as: infections, or diseases. Nevertheless, if we also want to reduce abortion, we should promote contraception measures; we can reach this goal by fomenting sexual education & the use of contraceptive methods, as well as sexual transmitted diseases. In some countries such as in Spain, having kids, gives you some benefits, taxes get reduced depending on the number of kids you have; this is a type of incentive we should follow in other to help countries as Russia to populate its territory; in this two options, we are still giving the women’s right to choose, “to do with their body and life what they want to do” which is a human Right and no one should be restricted from these right, in the other hand, we are also reduce abortion, which will help economically, socially and demographically the country.

REFERENCES:

1.     Ola Cichowlas (2016) Russia´s Abortion debate is Back. [newspaper] The Moscow Times. Found on: https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russias-abortion-debate-is-back-55545

2.     Pravda.ru (2016) Can Russia ban abortion? [newspaper] Pravda. Found on: http://www.pravdareport.com/society/stories/03-10-2016/135772-russia_abortion-0/

3.     Center for reproductive rights. The world Abortion Map [organization] Found on:   https://www.reproductiverights.org/sites/crr.civicactions.net/files/documents/AbortionMap_Factsheet_2013.pdf

4.     Center for reproductive rights. The Worlds Abortion Laws 2017. [organization] found on: http://worldabortionlaws.com/map/

5.     CIA. The World Factbook Russia. [federal organization] Found on: http://worldabortionlaws.com/map/

6.     Open Democracy. How should we talk about abortion in Russia? [newspaper] Found on: https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/anastasia-ovsyannikova/how-should-we-talk-about-abortion-in-russia

7.     Dan Holliday. Who are Russia's closest and most important allies? Economic, diplomatic, and military. [blog] Found on: https://www.quora.com/Who-are-Russias-closest-and-most-important-allies

8.     ProCon. Should Abortion be Legal? Found on: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://abortion.procon.org/&gws_rd=cr&ei=gxXWWIjRK8XamwGHw5ywDg