Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Commend Russian Federation on Efforts to Alleviate Poverty, Raise Concerns about Occupational Safety and Reported Rights Violations in Occupied Ukrainian Territories
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the seventh periodic report of the Russian Federation under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Committee Experts praised the State’s efforts to alleviate poverty, while raising concerns about high levels of occupational accidents and reported violations of economic, social and cultural rights in occupied Ukrainian territories.
One Committee Expert congratulated the State party on the results of its plan to alleviate poverty, which they said had achieved good results.
Joo-Young Lee, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, raised concerns that occupational accidents and fatalities remained high in the State party, particularly in mining and quarrying, construction, agriculture and forestry. What measures had the State party taken to address this issue?
Ludovic Hennebel, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked the delegation to respond to concerning allegations of violations in occupied territories of Ukraine, including reports of destruction of schools, the forced relocation of children, and measures suppressing Ukrainian language education.
Presenting the report, Andrey Pudov, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation and head of delegation, said that since the last report was reviewed, measures had been taken to significantly improve the economy, healthcare, education, culture and social policy in the Russian Federation.
Mr. Pudov said the State party had increased the minimum wage several times in recent years and deployed a single benefit for low-income families in 2023. Last year, the poverty rate had decreased to 7.2 per cent, the lowest value in the history of observations.
The delegation said there were criminal sanctions for unsafe workplaces, and over 400 people were charged last year. The Prosecution Service investigated cases where rights were violated, and agreements had been reached with 19,000 workers.
The State party was implementing the Covenant fully in reunited regions, the delegation said. Evacuations of children were necessary and in line with international humanitarian law. Full access to the study of Ukrainian language was ensured on the basis of request.
In the reunited territories, the delegation added, over 1,000 kindergartens and 10,000 schools had started operating and some 421,000 children were attending these schools. The Russian Federation had undertaken work to renovate more than 300 school facilities in these regions.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Hennebel said the dialogue had covered a broad range of themes under the Covenant, including education, health, work and the right to a healthy environment. The Committee had taken note of progress achieved by the State, as well as continuing challenges that gave rise to concerns. It would continue to work constructively with the State party to promote the full implementation of the Covenant.
Mr. Pudov, in concluding remarks, said Russian authorities would continue to make efforts aimed at improving legislation and practice related to the implementation of the Covenant. The State party would carefully study the Committee’s recommendations stemming from the dialogue.
Preeti Saran, Committee Chair, in her concluding remarks, expressed strong appreciation for the delegation’s high level of preparation for the dialogue and for its prompt and precise responses. The Committee would prepare concluding observations based on the topics discussed, she said.
The delegation of the Russian Federation was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Culture; the Ministry of Economic Development; the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Science and Higher Education; the Ministry of Health; the Investigative Committee; the Prosecutor General’s Office; the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs; and the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s seventy-eighth session is being held until 26 September 2025. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 10 September, to begin its consideration of the seventh periodic report of Colombia (E/C.12/COL/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the seventh periodic report of the Russian Federation (E/C.12/RUS/7).
Presentation of Report
ANDREY PUDOV, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation and head of delegation, said since the last report was reviewed, measures had been taken to significantly improve the economy, healthcare, education, culture and social policy in the Russian Federation. Over the past two years, the Russian economy had grown at a pace higher than the global average; gross domestic product grew 4.3 per cent in 2024 after growing 4.1 per cent in 2023. This was primarily due to the growth of domestic demand productivity and decrease in unemployment, and increase in real incomes of the population.
Last year, Russia entered the top 10 countries in terms of the quality of general education and the top five in terms of the results of international school Olympiads. All the participants of the national teams of the country won medals of various levels last year. The Russian Federation guaranteed the provision of high-quality, accessible education to all students without exception, including those with disabilities and health conditions. Last year, the strategy of the State cultural policy until 2030 was updated, focusing on the creation of conditions for each person to realise their creative potential, and the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the peoples of the Russian Federation, among other factors.
Amendments to the Constitution began to take effect in July 2020, which were supported by most citizens in a nationwide vote. The Constitution now stipulated that the minimum wage should be at least at the minimum subsistence level for the working-age population throughout the country; pensions should be indexed at least once a year; and citizens had the right to compulsory social insurance, targeted social support, and indexation of social benefits not lower than the inflation rate. In addition, the amendments to the Constitution provided that children were the most important priority of Russia's State policy.
To promote public policy in the field of family protection and the preservation of traditional family values, 2024 was declared the Year of the Family. One of the key substantive outcomes of the Year of the Family was the strategy of action for the implementation of family and demographic policy, support for large families until 2036, developed by Experts, scientific organizations, members of parliament, and the parent community. In recent years, at the initiative of the President, an integrated support system for families with children was deployed, spanning from the period of pregnancy until graduation.
In 2022, the Government of the Russian Federation approved an updated national strategy of action for women for 2023-2030, and the updated strategy for action in the interests of older citizens in the Russian Federation until 2030 was developed and approved this year. The coverage of the Russian population by the pension system was 100 per cent, that is, all Russian citizens either received a pension or were entitled to it. Last year, the Government adopted a concept to increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities until 2030.
Given the increasing pressure of sanctions on the Russian Federation, the most important task was to increase the incomes of citizens and reduce poverty, including among families with children. In this regard, the minimum wage had been increased several times, including this year where it had increased by 16.6 percent compared to the previous year. In addition, a single benefit for low-income families with children had been deployed throughout the country since 1 January 2023. Before the benefit was introduced in 2019, the poverty rate was 12.4 per cent, and last year it had decreased to 7.2 per cent, the lowest value in the history of observations. Despite the unprecedented number of sanctions imposed against the country, the unemployment rate in Russia remained at an all-time low. This indicator had been steadily decreasing since 2020, when it was 6.4 per cent, and it currently stood at 2.2 per cent.
The Russian Federation was one of the most multinational States in the world, with 194 peoples who spoke 150 languages. The Constitution of Russia, federal and regional legislation separately recognised all the basic individual and collective rights of 47 indigenous peoples. This year, the updated concept of sustainable development of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation until 2036 was approved, taking into account modern challenges and threats. Systematic work was being carried out in the Russian Federation to respect the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens.
Questions by a Committee Expert
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, recognised the efforts by the State party to contribute to enriching the Committee’s understanding of the situation. The report showed normative and institutional development. What guarantees did the State party have to ensure the right to self-determination of people under its control, particularly in the occupied territories of Ukraine? What had been done to prevent the exploitation of resources? Had consultations been conducted with local communities? What had been done to ensure free, prior and informed consent? Was the Covenant directly applicable within the domestic order of the State? Had there been any recent decisions which recognised its authority? Could examples of application of the Covenant be provided? What mechanisms were in place to systematically coordinate the obligations of the Covenant into domestic law?
How could the significant reduction in social spending be justified? What concrete measures had been taken to ensure transparency in the allocation of resources for economic, social and cultural rights? Were assessments on vulnerable groups conducted? What effect did the “war economy” have on economic, social and cultural rights? Did an independent anti-corruption body exist with sanctioning powers? How did it work? Were disaggregated reports on corruption cases regularly published? What specific policies were being implemented to reduce the gender pay gap in the public and industrial sectors? What professions were prohibited for women? What reforms were envisaged regarding the downgrading of the national human rights institution by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions?
What concrete measures had been taken to guarantee the independent appointment of judges? Could they pronounce on human rights issues? What mechanisms existed to protect judges? What disciplinary measures existed? Had Russia adopted a legislative framework for the protection of human rights defenders? What had been done to combat threats against these individuals? Would the State amend the legislation on foreign agents and undesirable organizations, as recommended from various international bodies? Had a national action plan been adopted on business and human rights? What concrete measures had the State party adopted to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement?
What measures had the State taken to prevent and stop attacks on hospitals, schools and essential infrastructure, and prevent abuses under international military law? What guarantees were implemented to ensure those under areas of effective control had access to medical services and education? What measures was the State implementing to ensure that linguistic and cultural education in the areas under effective control did not harm the rights of the local population, particularly the Ukrainian-speaking population? What measures were being taken to ensure that the actions of the State party in the occupied areas did not harm the full enjoyment of rights under the Covenant?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said 47 indigenous peoples had been recognised in the Russian Federation. An institutional base was created to ensure their sustainable development, including several federal laws which enshrined their land rights. Obtaining prior and informed consent involved direct consultation with indigenous peoples. There was a set of special procedures enshrined on indigenous peoples in the Russian Federation. The principle of prior and informed consent did not have any clear procedures at the international level which made it challenging to align with national standards. Indigenous peoples had representatives at the local government, and there were public associations of these peoples in the different bodies.
The labour legislation banned discrimination in the area of employment and provided equal opportunities for employment for men and women. Women had certain privileges, including foreign nationals, and made up around 55 per cent of the workforce. In 2019, the list of professions with harmful factors where the employment of women was limited was 456. Today, there were only 100 such professions. The Russian Federation was working with social partners to continue to reduce the number of such professions. The main challenge was related to the number of risk factors which could impact women. Employers could take action to employ women, even if the position was on the list of prohibited profession, if they could prove that conditions would be safe.
Currently 58 languages were being studied in Russia, including small-numbered indigenous peoples native tongues. Relevant manuals in those languages had been prepared. All educational organizations under the area of responsibility of the Russian Federation in the “repossessed areas” began their school year on 1 September. Full access to the study of Ukrainian language was ensured on the basis of request. On the territory of the Kherson oblast [province], around 1,500 students were studying in Ukrainian.
There was a specialised ministry to combat corruption. A specialised
strategy on economic security had been adopted, with key priorities on reducing the levels of corruption. In 2021, more than 25,000 crimes were identified. The Government had identified 12,000 large-scale crimes, which was a 20 per cent growth compared to the previous year. The Government withheld the property of the individuals involved to compensate for damage. In one of the largest cases, the actions of the Head of an Agency had led to the wasting of 21 million roubles. The Investigative Committee took action on large-scale crimes to combat corruption, including embezzlement cases. In 2025, more than 5,000 cases related to corruption had been sent to court. Measures were carried out on the prevention of crimes related to corruption.
Russia took significant measures to combat corruption crimes, including carrying out investigations through the Prosecutor’s Office. Most corruption cases involved construction, transport and procurement. Courts had considered more than 13,000 criminal cases involving corruption. More than 12,000 persons had been convicted of corruption and more than 700 public officials had been convicted.
The norms of the Covenant were reflected in legal practices. In 2023 and 2024, more than 5,000 decisions included references to provisions of the Covenant. The judiciary in the Russian Federation was an independent branch of power and judges were independent. There were laws, including one related to judicial practice, which guaranteed the independence of judges. Judges could not be held for any decisions they made, unless they performed illegal acts where they could be held criminally responsible.
Social payments were always updated in line with inflation, and were higher where pensions were concerned. More than 10 million families with children now had the right to receive a benefit which had substantially decreased poverty in the country. The State was planning to increase its social expenditure. Over the last several years, there had been a steady increase in expenditures in health, at around 4.5 per cent on an annual basis. Foreign nationals and migrants had the right to mandatory medical insurance, the same as Russian citizens. Foreign nationals employed in the Russian Federation could receive voluntary medical insurance.
The goal of the legislation on foreign agents was for the State to protect its sovereignty and national interests, preventing foreign interference in State affairs, particularly politically. When the status was given, the body could seek redress and in some cases be removed from the register. In 2025, there were 1,050 foreign agents, comprising less than one per cent of all relevant organizations; 53 had then been removed from the list as “foreign agents” and continued to function.
Questions by Committee Experts
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked for more information about the exploitation of economic resources in the occupied areas. Could more information on social spending and income be provided, including on budgetary matters? How were all economic, cultural and social rights ensured under areas of occupation? The Committee was concerned about allegations that in the Ukrainian occupied areas, the Russian Federation sought to erase the identity of the Ukrainian language. The suppression of Ukrainian cultural symbols was a concern, as was the forcible transfer of Ukrainians. A response to these well documented allegations would be appreciated.
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, said reports indicated that the significant increase in military expenditure had strained public services. How was the impact of fiscal measures to finance the war on economic, cultural and social rights being analysed? It was concerning that residents in the occupied territories faced pressure to obtain Russian passports to access work and social services. What measures had the State party taken to ensure this was not the case? What measures had the State party taken to address the persistent under representation of women in senior management positions in both public and private sectors? Did the State party have any plans to review or amend the 2022 law for the purpose of protecting children from nontraditional sexual orientation?
A Committee Expert asked for more updated information on the number of cases of corruption which had received an adequate judicial response? Were the persons sanctioned public officials or from private sector cases? Was there a specific body that monitored and followed up the recommendations received by the State party from the treaty bodies?
Another Expert asked for more information on how certain measures impacted indigenous persons’ abilities to register for agricultural industries.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the register of indigenous peoples was adopted in 2020 to overcome administrative barriers for the implementation of their social, cultural and economic rights. The information entered into the register was voluntary and was one of several mechanisms to protect the lawful rights of indigenous peoples; it had been developed by an umbrella group of indigenous peoples.
The main forms of sentencing for corruption were fines, suspended sentences and restrictions on the right to carry out certain activities. These measures had been applied against almost 3,000 people, with fines handed out to around 2,000 people. In certain cases, unlawful property was seized and confiscated.
In reintegrated territories, citizens had taken their own decision to rejoin Russia and citizenship was taken on a voluntary basis. State services were provided and there were no obligations on those who had not decided to take on Russian citizenship. There was no discrimination against those who did not have Russian citizenship.
Legislative measures were taken to protect children from propaganda harmful to their development, including information which may incite nontraditional sexual measures which were harmful to family values. Currently there were no plans to change this legislation.
The territories under the control of Russia carried out their educational activities in Russia. However, the Ukrainian language enjoyed the status as a native language and children could study in Ukrainian by choice. There was no discrimination here.
In the new territories, protection was ensured against attacks, including of public infrastructure such as schools, just like in the territory of Russa.
Women represented 78 per cent in the judiciary, and special educational programmes had been introduced to develop leadership qualities amongst women, increasing their readiness to participate in political processes. A new strategy had been adopted for the period of 2023-2030 to strengthen the position of women in political and public life.
Questions by a Committee Expert
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, said the Committee was concerned that informal employment remained widespread and non-standard forms of work, such as work under short-term and repeated fixed-term contracts or civil law contracts, were also prevalent. Those in the informal economy or non-standard forms of work had limited protection under labour and social protection law. How did the State party analyse the underlying causes of the high level of informality in the economy? What measures had the State party taken to facilitate transitions from the informal to the formal economy and to promote access to decent work with equal access to labour protection and social security?
Reports indicated that ethnic and religious minorities, including persons of Muslim background, faced barriers to employment and social participation, particularly in the Dagestan region. What measures had the State party taken to remove barriers faced by ethnic and religious minorities in the State party, particularly, persons from the North Caucasus and Central Asia, to ensure equal access to employment and protection against discrimination? What safeguards and remedies were in place to prevent and address arbitrary profiling and discrimination in access to employment, including those listed in the “profuchet” register in Dagestan?
What measures had been taken to prohibit military recruitment in places of detention? Were there clear “firewalls” separating immigration enforcement from military recruitment, including bans on threats of detention, deportation or loss of residence or work status? Since 2022, how many complaints alleging coercion, deception or abuse of vulnerability had the State party received, and where recruitment was found to involve coercion, what remedies were provided?
Migrant workers, particularly from Central Asia and increasingly from India, Pakistan and other countries, reportedly faced excessive working hours, non-payment and underpayment of wages, and harassment and discriminatory treatment at work. What concrete measures had the State party taken to prevent, investigate and sanction exploitative practices against migrant workers? What complaint mechanisms were available to migrant workers? The Committee was concerned that occupational accidents and fatalities remained high in the State party, particularly, in mining and quarrying, construction, agriculture and forestry. What measures had the State party taken to address underreporting and strengthen prevention and labour inspection in accident-prone sectors?
What measures had the State party taken to ensure that freedom of association was respected and protected from undue interference? What safeguards were in place to ensure that workers engaging in trade union activities were effectively protected from harassment and intimidation? What measures had the State party taken to expand effective social security coverage, specifically for the self-employed, those in the informal economy, and migrant workers? How did the State party assess the impacts of high inflation on social security benefits?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said in Russia, the Federal Service on Labour Employment had been created, which carried out oversight of compliance. More than 13 million people in Russia had registered as self-employed. In Russia, the right to assembly and to create professional unions was guaranteed by the Constitution. Trade unions had the right to create legal and technical labour inspections. Labour inspectors could carry out inspections in any place of employment and participate in cases involving accidents. The relationship between the State and social partners was regulated with the Russian tripartite commission. All main trade unions in Russia participated in these meetings. Participation in strikes was voluntary; no one could be forced to participate in a strike. During a strike, the position of the employee who participated was maintained; however, employers could choose not to pay wages during that time.
If a place of employment was considered hazardous, an increased salary could be provided, along with increased leave. All workers working in hazardous professions received means for individual protection and participated in regular medical checks to verify any health conditions related to work. If an injury occurred which resulted in a loss of capacity, the individual received an allowance which lasted their entire life. The minimum salary had been tripled three times since 2017.
The delegation said this was the first time of hearing of these events in the Dagestan region; this was probably a case of someone who was unemployed and on the unemployment register. The Government was unaware of such a register described by the Committee existing. Rights were equal for foreign and Russian citizens. Recruiting people for countries which required a visa to Russia was carried out in quotas. A special monitoring system was in place for workers from India and Bangladesh, but they were employed in the same way as Russian citizens. The Labour Code guaranteed equal rights to Russians and foreigners, and stateless persons working in Russia.
There were criminal sanctions for unsafe workplaces, and over 400 people were charged last year. The Government had reclaimed over two billion roubles of unpaid salaries in recent years. The Prosecution Service brought cases where rights were violated, and agreements had been reached with 19,000 workers.
There was a special legal tariff for the civil legal agreements to ensure employees were guaranteed the right to sick leave, to ensure employers did not try and replace employment contracts with civil legal agreements. Interpretation was provided for victims when necessary, where legal counsel was involved.
Questions by Committee Experts
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, asked what measures had the State party taken to simplify the process of registering trade unions? What measures had been taken to ensure equal access to employment for persons with disabilities, including reasonable accommodation?
A Committee Expert asked if there were quotas in the public and private sectors for the employment of persons with disabilities? Was there a national plan to combat trafficking? How did the justice system respond to this phenomenon? How many investigations had been opened and sentences handed down for this crime? What was the duration and effective use of maternity leave generally?
Another Expert said mandatory military service in the Russian Federation was 12 months, while civilian service for conscientious objectors was 21 months. Were measures being taken to reduce this discriminatory proportion of time?
A Committee Expert congratulated the State on the results of the plan to alleviate poverty, which had achieved good results. Could the data be clarified?
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked what measures the State had taken to prevent and punish acts committed by the Russian military abroad, particularly in the context of the armed occupation? What measures had the State taken to guarantee in the territories under effective control, protection of staff in the nuclear facility? What information was available regarding restrictions on healthcare in conflict zones? What was in place to guarantee the provision of healthcare to persons without Russian nationality?
An Expert said there had been an amendment to the Criminal Code in 2018 regarding the good practice of a norm mandating employers to hire individuals close to retirement age. Could this be further explained?
Reponses by the Delegation
The delegation said 30 per cent of persons with disabilities were employed. In July 2025, the employment service received requests from 41,000 persons with disabilities. Vacancies were available for vocational training on the digital portal, while 39,000 employment positions were available in Russia based on quotas. A labour contract should be concluded directly with persons with disabilities and the employer. All persons with disabilities had the opportunity to receive higher education if they desired, and quotas were in place in this regard.
Trade unions were a separate form of public association and should be registered to be included in the State registry. The registration agency had no rights to control the activities of trade unions or refuse registration without providing any reasons. In cases where a refusal was unjustified, this decision could be contested in court.
Under Russian legislation, maternity leave was provided for up to three years to take care of the child, with paid leave of up to 18 months.
Social payments were carried out throughout the territory of Russia, including in the reunited territories. The State ensured the uniform application of Russian legislation without exceptions.
Combatting trafficking in human beings was a priority for the Investigative Committee that aimed to identify and suppress criminal organizations. The main reason for the low number of cases submitted to court was latency related to the practice. Trafficking in human beings was one of the forms of organised crime which was becoming increasingly common. There had been cases where individuals working in an organised group had been selling infants between 2015 to 2022, and 15 infants had been sold. These cases were complicated and took time which explained their low number. Today, employers could be held criminally responsible if they refused to employ individuals who were within five years of retirement.
Questions by Committee Experts
LAURA ELISA PÉREZ, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, asked if the State party had a legal framework which was specifically applicable to cases of domestic action and violence. What actions had been implemented to raise awareness for judges and law enforcement to identify cases of domestic violence and take action? How did the State party guarantee the protection of women and girls against gender-based violence? Had the State party established a comprehensive care system which would reduce the burden on mothers and ensure the protection of persons with disabilities and the elderly?
What guarantees had been taken to ensure children’s cultural identity? What measures had been adopted to guarantee the identification and return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia? What had been done to guarantee access to social protection for families detained on the basis of political grounds?
What measures were being taken to combat chronic poverty, particularly in rural, arctic areas and in indigenous communities? What methodology was in place to define the official thresholds of poverty? How were these thresholds updated? What procedural and legal guarantees existed to prevent evictions? What policies were in place to prevent the forced eviction of Roma populations and undocumented migrants? Had policies been adopted to protect tenants and ensure security of rental contracts?
Could more information be provided on medical coverage in rural, indigenous, arctic and occupied areas? What was being done to ensure equal access to maternal health services in nomadic communities? Had strategies been adopted for drug abuse? What measures had been implemented to prevent stigmatisation and abuse in psychiatric institutions? Was data being used to identify situations of inequality? Were there complaints mechanisms for victims who had been excluded from the medical system? What measures existed to ensure equal access to medical assistance in areas under effective control?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said social support to citizens, particularly vulnerable citizens, was a priority for the Russian Federation. Social payments provided in 2024 were 1.7 times higher than in 2019. Legislation on the minimum wage was revised in 2021 to set the wage based on mean income. In 2019, the poverty rate was 12.4 per cent of the population, but was now 7.2 per cent. There were also social payments that supported persons to start businesses, purchase housing and seek jobs. Pregnancy and childbirth payments were provided to workers, and monthly childcare benefits were also provided to low-income families with children. There were measures to support third and subsequent children in regions that were additional to the federal programme.
In April 2025, 2.3 per cent of the child population had a disability. There was a range of guarantees for children with disabilities, including the right to education at all levels. There were specialised quotas in higher education facilities for persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities received free medical care, rehabilitation aids and transport measures, and families with children with disabilities received additional benefits.
The State party had a strategy to 2030 for supporting older persons and a system for long-term spending for older persons, and State digital services had been adapted for older persons and persons with disabilities.
Under the standards of international humanitarian law, the Russian Federation had evacuated children from the conflict zone, mainly orphaned children living in specialised institutions. There was a return mechanism for these children, and children were being returned.
The school curriculum was based on the Russian Federation’s spiritual and moral values. Sexual education was family centred. School children learned about family values, parental responsibilities and reproductive health.
The Russian Federation had an effective system of measures to prevent domestic violence. Beatings had been reclassified as an administrative offence in 2017, which had led to increased punishment of such acts. Police officers registered offenders and conducted regular visits to monitor them. Last year, there were 14.6 per cent fewer crimes against women compared to 2023; killings of women had declined by over 20 per cent in the last five years. Some 6,500 people had been tried for acts of bodily harm, while 10,000 had been tried for death threats. There was a network of crisis centres, in which shelter and support was provided to victims of domestic violence. Social workers also worked with aggressors to prevent further violence.
The Constitution enshrined the right to medical support regardless of nationality or other characteristics and guaranteed protection from discrimination based on disease or illness. All citizens, including in reunited territories, had the right to receive medical assistance, as did refugees. A strategy on the prevention of infectious diseases had been adopted to 2035. The strategy promoted immunisation from an early age. Citizens received 12 vaccines protecting against diseases such as hepatitis and polio. Specialised vaccines were provided to persons living in endemic territories.
The State party was working to promote reproductive health. Gynaecological services had been set up as close as possible to where people lived, and there were 1,500 mobile reproductive health teams. State efforts had led to a steady decline in abortions and a twofold reduction in child mortality over the past 10 years. The State party had a strategy to 2030 for reducing HIV deaths and illnesses, which included measures to increase the availability of retroviral therapies. There had been an 11 per cent decrease in the HIV infection rate in 2024.
The State provided support and social rehabilitation measures for drug users. The State’s anti-drug policy aimed to prevent drug consumption and discouraged replacement therapies. However, methadone had been removed from the State’s list of banned drugs. The number of illnesses caused by drug use had decreased 2.5-fold over the last 10 years. The State party had a strategy to 2030 for combatting drug trafficking, which gave special attention to preventing large scale drug crimes. The strategy had helped to reduce the number of persons committing drug crimes by 25 per cent. The State had closed more than 4,000 drug laboratories and blocked many websites facilitating drug trafficking.
Inspections of medical organizations were carried out to ensure that they were providing quality medical services; non-compliance led to sanctions. Special medical tests and medical kits were provided for nomadic and Siberian populations.
The Russian Federation had eliminated illegal dump sites and rehabilitated 27,000 hectares of water basins. It also had a project for rehabilitating forests. A project was launched in 2025 that promoted environmental health and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, said that the State party faced adverse effects of climate change, which disproportionately affected vulnerable and indigenous populations. Was the State party revising its national climate adaption plan to include measures to protect vulnerable groups? How were indigenous peoples included in policy making on climate change and disaster response measures? How was the State party closing protection gaps between regions?
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said that rights guaranteed by the Covenant continued to apply in periods of conflict and the State was required to protect the rights of persons in occupied territories of Ukraine. The State party had not provided substantial replies concerning allegations of violations of the rights of people in these territories, including reports of destruction of schools and other civilian infrastructure, the forced relocation of children, education measures suppressing Ukrainian language education and amounting to forced assimilation, coercive measures against citizens forcing them to work, and limitations on access to social rights for persons who did not obtain Russian passports. There were reports of systemic discrimination against ethnic minorities. How did the delegation respond to these allegations?
LAURA ELISA PÉREZ, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, asked what the Russian Federation was doing to prevent “honour crimes”, forced marriages and community reprisals. How was the State party renumerating unpaid domestic work? What legal measures were in place to protect Ukrainian families from forced evictions? What percentage of gross domestic product was allocated to the health sector? There were reports of female genital mutilation occurring in the northern caucuses. How was the State party working to stop this practice and punish perpetrators? Was the State party taking measures to address the considerable gap in longevity between men and women?
Other Committee Experts asked about measures to reduce the institutionalisation of persons with disabilities; how the right to obtain health services was protected across the State’s territories, including in Crimea; how the State was working to promote traditional land use and fishing practices by indigenous peoples; and how the State party was addressing the burden on the social payment system caused by the ageing population.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the national ecological wellbeing project launched in 2025 focused on reducing emissions from dangerous and polluting substances by 20 per cent and increasing monitoring of emissions.
There was a project promoting socioeconomic redevelopment in Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, which aimed to renew housing and transport infrastructure and increase prosperity and business activity.
Pension coverage in the Russian Federation was 100 per cent. Persons over the pension age could receive the pension even when they were working or receiving disability benefits.
The State party was implementing the Covenant fully in reunited regions. All legal regimes that existed in other parts of Russia existed in these regions. Evacuations of children were necessary and in line with international humanitarian law. Forced labour was prohibited in the Russian Federation. Labour inspections were carried out in the reunited regions, and the State was ready to respond if there were reports of forced labour in these regions.
The Russian Federation recognised nine million square kilometres as traditional lands and provided legal regimes and monitoring for this land mass. Oil and gas facilities could not be set up in these regions without the written permission of each affected family. The State recognised traditional indigenous hunting and fishing practices. Restrictions were placed on indigenous peoples’ access to fishing of endangered species. The State party was reforming legislation on traditional fishing to revise limits on bioresources. Up to 30 per cent of Russia’s bioresources had been allocated to indigenous peoples.
Women workers who became pregnant received 70 days of leave prior to birth and 70 days after birth. The social fund paid these women the average income until the child reached 18 months. Laws were also in place to protect the jobs of pregnant women.
Spending on health represented around 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. All placements of children with disabilities in institutions were voluntary. The Health Ministry stood with the international community against female genital mutilation, which was illegal.
Questions by a Committee Expert
ASRAF ALLY CAUNHYE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the Russian Federation, asked the State party to provide data on access to education for Roma and indigenous children. Why had completion rates in secondary and higher education fallen for marginalised groups in recent years? Children with disabilities were mostly placed in segregated educational institutions. What measures were in place to ensure that children with disabilities were placed in integrated education facilities? How did the State party ensure that stateless children and the children of foreign nationals were not denied enrolment in schools?
Ukrainian textbooks had been removed from schools and there was no access to online Ukrainian education. How did the State party prevent the glorification of war and military indoctrination in schools? What measures were in place to ensure free access to online Ukrainian education programmes and mother tongue education in occupied territories? What measures were in place to prevent the destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage sites in occupied territories? How would the State ensure that artists, academics and others were not deprived of resources or rights just for criticising the Government? How did the State party ensure access to scientific progress and technology for indigenous peoples and persons living in rural areas?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Constitution enshrined free-of-charge, accessible general education. The Russian Federation had a national system for assessing the quality of education. All citizens from remote areas had access to education. Small-scale schools had been created in rural areas and “nomad schools” provided education to nomadic communities. The number of Roma children in general schools was increasing. There were currently 51,000 Roma children studying in Russian schools, and measures were being taken to encourage Roma families to enrol their children in schools.
The State applied the principle of inclusive education. Medical specialists determined the level of assistance that children with disabilities required in school. Tutors and assistants were provided to support children with disabilities in mainstream education. The State had educational institutions to support children who could not be accommodated in mainstream schools, and parents could also choose to educate such children at home.
The federal law on education stated that foreign nationals enjoyed the same rights to education as other citizens. There were no restrictions on the enrolment of such children. Foreign nationals needed to pass a simple test on their knowledge of Russian prior to enrolment; those who failed the test were offered preparatory courses and different educational programmes.
The Russian Federation was a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that prohibited the participation of children in armed conflict. There were specialised schools for cadets in which children studied the basics of military service, but these children did not participate in armed conflict and enrolment in these schools was voluntary.
In the reunited territories, many educational facilities, including over 1,000 kindergartens and 10,000 schools, had started operating and some 421,000 children were attending these schools. The Russian Federation had undertaken work to renovate more than 300 school facilities in these regions. Children studying in these schools enjoyed the education guarantees of the Russian Federation, including school meals.
The Russian Federation guaranteed free-of-charge higher education on the basis of competition. The State was expanding available places in higher education institutions.
The State party recognised the right to freedom of access to academic and technical information, apart from certain restrictions related to State security. There were regulations in place related to the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education, and persons who used personal data without permission were held criminally liable.
The State party was promoting the digitalisation of rural businesses. It had spent around two trillion roubles on improving telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas. Many rural schools had access to high-speed internet.
Special attention was given to the education of small-numbered indigenous peoples, with special education programmes developed for them. The State had established regional cultural heritage protection bodies, which worked to protect such objects, including in the reunited regions. There were measures in place to support theatre, music and other arts. “Inclusive creativity labs” had been developed to support children with disabilities’ access to the arts.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
PREETI SARAN, Committee Chair, said she had experienced first-hand the Russian Federation’s exemplary education system.
ASRAF ALLY CAUNHYE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the Russian Federation, asked about measures in place to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children from stigmatisation in the school environment. There were reports that 15 indigenous languages had ceased to be used in Russia in recent years. The number of native language teachers fell from 22,000 in 2009 to 15,000 in 2023. What was being done to prevent the extinction of indigenous languages across the territory? What safeguards were in place regarding surveillance and unjustified use of biotechnologies?
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, said that the federal statistics service had increasingly limited the publication of socioeconomic data. How was the State party promoting the availability of such data? The Committee was concerned by reports of widespread content restrictions online. What was the State party’s response to these reports?
LAURA ELISA PÉREZ, Committee Expert and member of the Taskforce for the report of Russia, said there had been stagnation of investment in scientific research. Were there plans in that regard? How did the State party support access to contraception?
Other Committee Experts asked questions on the progress of native language education programmes for small-numbered indigenous peoples and Chinese people; whether the State party continued to provide international aid to support school feeding systems; how the State selected foreign students who applied to study in higher education institutions; measures to prevent hate speech against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community and support their participation in cultural life; whether there were restitution and reparation programmes for indigenous peoples adversely affected by development projects; and whether the State party had implemented the Committee’s recommendations on decriminalising carrying drugs for personal use.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that students aged seven to 10 received two hot meals at school per day. There was no issue regarding stigmatisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children at schools, as there was a mediation system in place to prevent bullying in schools. The State guaranteed protection from discrimination against these groups.
The curriculum included a subject on security and defence of the homeland. It taught children the basics about how to protect themselves in emergencies and about external security activities by the army.
Throughout the Russian Federation, the teaching language was Russian; this was also the case for the reunited territories. Learning Ukrainian was possible in schools in these territories as an additional subject. There were no limitations on online learning in Ukrainian.
Native speakers of rare indigenous languages were dwindling, but the school system supported study of these languages. Textbooks were provided for teaching in native languages.
Around 380,000 foreign students were studying in the Russian Federation today. The State had a quota for accepting 30,000 foreign students from developing countries per year. Such students were selected in their home countries. Travel and education expenses were subsidised for these students. The State party aimed to increase the number of foreign students to 500,000.
The State party undertook efforts to preserve and promote the languages of indigenous peoples. It was developing a federal law on languages, which would include measures to protect indigenous languages. Measures were implemented to promote the International Decade of the Languages of Indigenous Peoples. Monitoring was carried out on the preservation of languages in the Russian Federation. Some 25 per cent of all preschool and school facilities provided native tongue education. There were 2,300 publications in minority languages and around 130 radio and television stations.
Closing Remarks
LUDOVIC HENNEBEL, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, thanked the high-level delegation for its active participation in the constructive dialogue and for its cooperation with the Committee. He also praised the support of civil society, which had shared important data with the Committee. The dialogue had covered a broad range of themes under the Covenant, including education, health, work and the right to a healthy environment. The Committee would adopt concluding observations based on the dialogue, which would be published to help the State party overcome the challenges it faced.
The Committee had taken note of progress achieved by the State party, as well as continuing challenges that gave rise to concerns. It would continue to work constructively with the State party to promote the full implementation of the Covenant. The Committee hoped that the dialogue would help the State party to strengthen protections of economic, social and cultural rights across its territory.
ANDREY PUDOV, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation and head of delegation, said the Russian authorities would continue to make efforts aimed at improving legislation and practice related to the implementation of the Covenant. The State party would carefully study the Committee’s recommendations stemming from the dialogue. The United Nations harboured healthy conservativism that aimed at protecting the rights of all human beings.
PREETI SARAN, Committee Chair, said the Russian Federation had a strong record of supporting the Covenant. She expressed strong appreciation for the delegation’s high level of preparation for the dialogue and for its prompt and precise responses. The Committee would prepare concluding observations based on the topics discussed.
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CESCR25.006E