SUMMARY

The current issue of the journal covers various aspects of women▓s human rights.

Dr. Klimantova, a Deputy Chief of the Analytical Department, Federation Council (the Russian Federation), has presented her article on implementing state policy related to senior citizens in Russia. In the beginning the author has reviewed international principles of protection of senior citizens▓ rights. Statistics given in this part of the work proves importance of the issue. Then follows analysis of the legislation regulating social support for senior citizens and the chapter on social services for this population group. The final chapter of the article is focused on health care for senior citizens in Russia.

The article "Senior population in the world" has been presented by M. Kazmina, a Chair Woman of the NGO "Senior Generation". In the introductory chapter the author has drawn readers▓ attention to statistics and facts related to senior people around the world. Ms. Kazmina has also reviewed the basic international laws on the issue under consideration, such as the Conventions and Recommendations of the UN and of the International Organization of Labor (IOL). The second chapter of the work is analysis of data of sociological surveys for senior people.

The legal part of the current issue is focused mainly on the Draft of the Federal Legislation on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. The introductory part has covered the background of the problem, with the related statistics included.

The Draft was adopted on March 18, 2003. The whole text of the Draft has been presented in the current issue. It is important to mention the articles on cooperation with non-governmental organizations and on social rehabilitation / protection of survivors of trafficking. The separate articles are focused on trafficking in children and state guarantees to survivors of trafficking in human beings.

The next article is a review of the State Duma law creating activities. It is crucial that on April 16, 2003 the State Duma adopted the first version of the Federal Law Draft "On State Guarantees of Equal Rights and Equal Freedoms for Women and Men, with Equal Opportunities for their Realization".

Professor Svetlana V. Polenina, the Institute for State and Law, Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation, is the author of the article "Gender Expertise of Legislation". The author is convinced that gender expertise is supposed to make legislation more effective. In relation to this aspect, methodology of the issue on all levels has been analyzed. All statements articulated by professor S. Polenina are supported by specific examples from both Russian and international legislation.

Elena Kulagina, a post graduate student of the Institute for Social and Economic Population Problems, Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation, has presented the work "Equal Rights and Unequal Opportunities▓. The article is about gender aspects related to families with handicapped children, mainly about traditional attitudes toward mothers of these families. While analyzing the situation in Russia, the author has made numerous referrals to international experience in raising handicapped children. It is important to mention that the most effective programs have become fundamental for developing similar programs in Russia.

The article about labor contracts signed by women and employees with family responsibilities has also been presented by a post graduate student, Tatiana Moskvicheva. The author has given a thorough review of different aspects of the issue, with the list of the related documents and laws. Again, it is crucial to have an opportunity of studying specific examples illustrating the situation in various regions of Russia, such as Rostov-on-Don, Oryol, etc. Ms. Moskvicheva has drawn specific attention to labor rights of pregnant women in terms of the existing Labor Code. It is also interesting to find out about international experience in terms of the labor issue.

Irina Gertsik, a leader of Women Voters▓ League, Kaliningrad region, and Olga Novosad, a journalist, are co-authors of the article about women▓s human rights and gender equality issues in the region. Again, domestic situation has been compared to democratic gender processes in such countries as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, along with detailed analysis of the specific examples. The final part of the article is dedicated to the information about the International Conference "Realization of Policy of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Scandinavia and North-West of Russia", initiated and managed by the League of Women Voters and the Council of the Kaliningrad Region.

The chapter "Announcements" contains the Declaration of the Angel Coalition adopted at the Coalition Conference on May 30, 2003.

The journal is closed by the information summary about the LIKO Non-Governmental Organization, Kaliningrad Region, registered in 1998.

The summary is prepared by Larissa Ponarina