On the prohibition of abortions - Moscow Daily News, June 28, 1936.
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| 1925, warning against midwives performing abortions. |
DECISION OF THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE USSR AND OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE’s COMMISSARS OF THE USSR, JUNE 27, I936
On the prohibition of abortions, increase of material aid to women giving birth, establishment of state aid to large families, broadening of the network of maternity homes, nurseries and kindergartens, strengthening of the criminal penalty for non-payment of alimony, and on certain changes in the legislation on divorces.
The October Socialist Revolution which laid the foundation for the abolition of all class exploitation, for the abolition of the classes themselves, at the same time laid the foundation for the complete and final emancipation of women.
In no country in the world does woman enjoy as complete equality in all branches of political, social and family life as in the USSR.
In no country in the world does woman, as a mother and a citizen who bears the great and responsible duty of giving birth to and bringing up citizens, enjoy the same'respect and protection of the law as in the USSR. However, the economic breakdown of the country which took place during the first years after the Civil War and the armed intervention, and the inadequate cultural level which women inherited from the pre- revolutionary epoch did not enable them at once to make full use of the rights accorded to them by the law and to perform, without fear of the future, their duties as citizens and mothers responsible for the birth and early education of their children. In this connection, the Soviet power on Nov. 18, 1920, permitted the practice of abortions (artificial interruption of pregnancy) for women so long as, as the People's Commissariat of Health and the People's Commissariat of Justice wrote, "the moral heritages of the past and the difficult economic conditions of the present still force a section of the women to submit to this operation." (Code of Laws, No. 90, p. 471)
Back in 1913, Lenin wrote that class-conscious workers are "unquestionable enemies of neo-Malthusianism, this tendency for the philistine couple, pigeon-brained and selfish, who murmur fearfully: "May God help us to keep our own bodies and souls together; as for children, it is best to be without them."
But while rebelling against abortions as a social evil Lenin considered mere legislative banning of abortions clearly inadequate to combat them. Moreover, he pointed out that under capitalist conditions these laws only reflect the "hypocrisy of the ruling classes" since they "do not heal the sores of capitalism but make them particularly malignant, particularly painful to the oppressed masses." (Volume 16, pp. 498-499)
Only under conditions of socialism, where exploitation of man by man does not exist and where woman is an equal member of society while the progressive improvement of the material well-being of the toilers constitutes a law of social development, is it possible seriously to organize the struggle against abortions, by prohibitive laws as well as by other means.
The abolition of capitalist exploitation in the USSR, the growth of the material well-being and the gigantic growth of the political and cultural level of the toilers make it possible to raise the question of a revision of the decision of the People's Commissariats of Health and Justice of Nov. 18, 1920.
Necessary material provision for women and their children, state aid to large families, the fullest development of the network of maternity homes, nurseries, kindergartens, legislative establishment of the minimum sums which the father of a child must pay for its upkeep when husband and wife live apart, on the one hand, and prohibition of abortions on the other, coupled with an increase in the penalty for willful nonpayment of means for the maintenance of the children, awarded by a court, and the introduction of certain changes in the legislation on divorces for the purpose of combating a light-minded attitude toward the family and family obligations-such are the roads which must be followed in order to solve this important problem affecting the entire population. In this respect, the Soviet Government responds to numerous statements made by toiling women.
In connection with the above and taking into consideration certain remarks made by citizens during the discussion of the draft, the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decide:
I. ON PROHIBITION OF ABORTIONS
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| Children are happiness to Soviet family 1940 |
1. In view of the proven harm of abortions, to forbid the performance of abortions both in hospitals and special health institutions, and in the homes of doctors and private homes of pregnant women. The performance of abortions shall be allowed exclusively in those cases when the continuation of pregnancy endangers the life or threatens serious injury to the health of the pregnant woman and equally when a serious disease of the parents can be inherited, and only under hospital or maternity home conditions.
2. For the performance of abortions outside a hospital or in a hospital under conditions violating the above provisions, the doctor performing the abortion shall be criminally punishable with imprisonment of one to two years, while for the performance of abortions under unsanitary conditions or by persons who have no special medical education a criminal penalty of no less than three years' imprisonment shall be fixed.
3. For compelling a woman to undergo an abortion, a criminal penalty of two years' imprisonment shall be fixed.
4. In relation to pregnant women undergoing an abortion in violation of the said prohibition, to establish as a criminal penalty a social reprimand, and in the event of a repetition of the violation of the law on the prohibition of abortions, a fine up to 300 rubles.
II. ON INCREASING MATERIAL AID BY THE STATE TO WOMEN GIVING BIRTH AND ON ESTABLISHING STATE AID TO LARGE FAMILIES
5. In order to improve the material position of mothers, both working women and employees insured in the organs of social insurance, to increase the allowance issued from the state social insurance funds for the purpose of procuring the necessary articles of infant care, from 32 to 45 rubles.
6. To increase the allowance issued to the mother for nursing the infant, from 5 to 10 rubles a month.
7. In relation to uninsured toiling women-members of cooperative artels and enterprises-to establish that the said allowances be issued by the cooperative mutual aid funds on the same basis.
8. To abolish the limitation fixed by the code of labor laws for women employees (Article 132), making them equal to working women in regard to the length of the leave accorded prior to and after childbirth (56 days prior to and 56 days after childbirth).
9. To establish a criminal penalty for refusal to employ women for reasons of pregnancy, for reducing their wages on the same grounds, providing in the law the obligation of preserving for the pregnant woman, while transferring her to lighter work, her former wages based on earnings for the last six months' work.
10. To establish a state allowance for mothers of large families-for those having six children, an annual allowance of 2,000 rubles for five years for each subsequent child from the day of its birth; for mothers having 10 children one state allowance of 5,000 rubles on the birth of each subsequent child and an annual allowance of 3,000 rubles for a period of four years following the child's first birthday. To extend this article of the law also to those families who at the moment of the publication of the law have the required number of children.
III. ON EXTENSION OF THE NETWORK OF MATERNITY HOMES
To instruct the People's Commissariats of Health of the constituent republics:
11. In order to provide medical assistance in special maternity homes for all women giving birth in cities, industrial and district centers, to establish and open by January, 1939, 11.000 new maternity beds, of which in addition to the 4,200 beds provided by the 1936 plan, there are to be established:
In 1936 2,000 beds
In 1937 4,000 "
In 1938 5,000 "
12. In order to extend medical service to women giving birth in rural localities, to provide and put into use 32,000 maternity beds, of which 16,000 beds in the maternity wards of village hospitals shall be .financed by the state budget and 16,000 beds by organizing collective farm maternity homes, 75 per cent of the cost of their organization to be assumed by the collective farms and 25 per cent by the state budget.
These are to include :
In 1936-In addition to the 4,300 maternity beds in village hospitals and the 5,000 beds in collective farm maternity homes scheduled by the 1936 plan, 4,000 beds in hospitals and 4,000 beds in collective farm maternity homes.
In 1937-6,000 beds in hospitals and 6,000 beds in collective farm maternity homes.
In 1938-6,000 beds in hospitals and 6,000 beds in collective farm maternity homes.
13. In order to provide obstetrical assistance at home, for women giving birth who are not served by lying-in hospitals, to open by Jan. 1, 1939, 14,400 new obstetrical stations of which 2,700 are to be opened in the villages and 1,370 obstetricians appointed to the new collective farm maternity homes in 1936; 5,000 obstetrical stations in the villages and 2,000 obstetricians at the new collective farm maternity homes in 1937; 6,700 obstetrical stations in the villages and 2,000 obstetricians at the new collective farm maternity homes in 1938.
IV. ON EXTENSION OF THE NETWORK OF NURSERIES
14. To double by Jan. 1, 1939 the existing network of nursery beds for children in the cities, state farms, workers' settlements and on the rail ways, increasing their total number to 800,000 beds by putting into service:
In 1936, in addition to the 34,000 beds provided by the 1936 plan 100,000 new beds
In 1937,150,000 new beds
In 1938,150,000 new beds
TOTAL 400,000 new beds
15. To double by Jan. 1, 1939 the existing network of nursery beds both in permanent and seasonal collective farm nurseries in rural localities, increasing the number of beds in permanent nurseries by 500,000 and in seasonal nurseries by four million beds, including:
In 1936: In addition to the 70,000 beds in permanent collective farm nurseries called for in the 1936 plan 100,000 beds In seasonal nurseries in addition to the one million beds called for in the 1936 plan 500,000 beds.
In 1937: In permanent collective farm nurseries 200,000 beds, In seasonal nurseries 1,500,000 beds.
In 1938: In permanent collective farm nurseries 200,000 beds, In seasonal nurseries 2,000,000 beds.
The People's Commissariats of Health of the Union Republics and the territory, province and district executive committees are to supervise the development of the above network of nurseries.
16. In cities and in industrial centers, beginning Jan. 1, 1937, work in nursery schools is to be in two shifts, to last 16 hours a day, including the rest days.
17. To instruct the People's Commissariats of Health of the Union Republics to secure the appropriate personnel for the newly opened institutions by allotting 15 million rubles in addition to the appropriations made for the training of the intermediate medical personnel.
18. To instruct the People's Commissariats of Health of the Union Republics to build during three years, so as to complete by Jan. r, 1939, an additional 800 new dairy kitchens in the cities, industrial and district centers for the feeding of I .5 million children under three years of age and to open:
In 1936-30 kitchens of the first category (at an estimated cost of 83,000 rubles each), 100 kitchens of the second category (at an estimated cost of 65,000 rubles each)
In 1937-70 kitchens of the first category 200 kitchens of the second category
In 1938-100 kitchens of the first category 300 kitchens of the second category
V. ON ENLARGING THE NETWORK OF KINDERGARTENS
19. To triple the functioning network of permanent kindergartens in cities, factory settlements, and on railways within three years, bringing it up to 2.1 million places by Jan. 1, 1939 (as against 700,000 places m the present network of kindergartens) ; and at state farms, plants and institutions in village localities, up to 300,000 places, as against 130,000 places of the present network, for which purpose the following must be built and put into operation:
In 1936: In cities, factory settlements, and on railways, in addition to 250,000 places planned according to the 1936 program, 150,000 places.
At state farms and at enterprises and institutions in village localities, the plan for the increase of kindergartens in 1936 is to be left at the former 600, 000 places.
In 1937: In cities, factory settlements, and on railways 300,000 At state farms and at enterprises and institutions in village localities 60,000 places.
In 1938: In cities, factory settlements, and on railways 700,000 At state farms and at enterprises and in-
institutions in village localities 50,000 places
20. To open permanent kindergartens; with 700,000 places, at collective farms m addition to the existing network of 400,000 places by Jan. 1, 1939, as follows:
In 1936, supplementary to the planned 150,000 for 1936, 50,000 places ( total-200,000 places)
In 1937 240,000 places
In 1938 260,000 "
By the same date to provide all children on collective farms with seasonal playgrounds for children of pre-school age, for which purpose the following must be built:
In 1936 (according to the 1936 plan) 4,500,000 places
In 1937 7,800,000 "
In 1938 10,700,000 "
Supervision of the development of the network of kindergartens and seasonal playgrounds for children of pre-school age in village localities is to be turned over to the People's Commissariats of Education of the Union Republics and to the territorial, province and district executive committees.
21. To obligate the People's Commissariats of Education of the Union Republics to train, as early as in the second half of 1936, 50,000 teachers for the kindergartens which are to be opened, releasing 35 million rubles for this purpose in addition to the 1936 grants for the training of cadres for new kindergartens, called for in the budgets of the People's Commissariats of Education of the Union Republics.
VI. ON CHANGING THE SYSTEM OF SUPERVISION OF KINDERGARTENS
22. To amend the decision of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, of July 6, 1935 (Code of Laws, No. 35, Statute 309), on concentrating the leadership and management of all kindergartens under the systems of the People's Commissariats of Education of the Union Republics, turning over to the jurisdiction of the industrial People's Commissariats, kindergartens of their institutions and enterprises which serve children of workers and employees of these institutions and enterprises, and continuing under the jurisdiction of the People's Commissariats of Education only those kindergartens which serve small institutions and enterprises that do not have their own kindergartens. To place direct leadership of the kindergartens under the administration of the enterprise or institution where the kindergarten is organized, with the participation of the factory and plant trade union committees and Young Communist League organizations of these plants and institutions. To reserve for the People's Commissariats of Education of the Union Republics general pedagogical leadership, control of the correct structure of the network of the kindergartens and the training of pedagogical cadres. The Council of People's Commissars of the USSR is to determine the method of transferring and financing the kindergartens, and also the method of construction and financing new kindergartens in connection with the newly-established system of supervision and management of kindergartens.
VII. ON FINANCING THE ABOVE MEASURES
23. In accordance with this decision, to assign, over and above the sum allocated for 1936 in state and local budgets and the social insurance budget-the sum of 1,481,300,000 rubles for maternity homes, midwife stations, nurseries, dairies and kindergartens for 1936--692,800,000 rubles for the construction and development of the network of these institutions, increasing the general amount assigned in 1936 to 2,174,100,000 rubles as against 875 million rubles in 1935.
From the above-mentioned 692,800,000 rubles to use on the construction of:
a) Maternity beds in cities 22,200,000 rubles
b) Maternity beds in villages 23,800,000 "
c) Children's nurseries in cities 320,000,000 "
d) Kindergartens in cities 221,000,000 "
e) Dairy kitchens 9,000,000 "
TOTAL 596,000,000 rubles
On operating expenses:
a) For maintenance of the newly-opened maternity beds and midwife stations; 5,000,000 rubles
b) For maintenance until the end of 1936 of newly-built children's nurseries ; 11,800,000 rubles
c) For the extension and improvement of the network of functioning kindergartens by means of utilizing and transforming into kindergartens new sites, porches and other light types of buildings in existing kindergartens, and small repairs to buildings taken over; 30,000,000 rubles
TOTAL 46,800,000 rubles
On training cadres:
a) For training midwives and nurses of the People's Commissariat of Health 15,000,000 rubles
b) For teachers for town kindergartens of the People's Commissariat of Education 17,000,000 rubles
c) For preparation of teachers for village kindergartens of the People's Commissariat of Education 18,000,000 rubles
TOTAL 50,000,000 rubles
24. To assign 70,500,000 rubles for increased maternity aid in accordance with Par. 5, 6, and 8 of this decision.
25. The Council of People's Commissars of the USSR to guarantee the necessary materials for the projected construction in order that the People's Commissariats may begin construction by July 1 of this year
26. To amend, for the purpose of establishing a uniform fixed system of financing kindergartens and children's nurseries, the decision of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of July 6, 1935 (Code Oi Laws, No. 35, 1935, Par. 310), "On obligatory dues of undertakings and institutions for the maintenance of children's nurseries and kindergartens," to one-quarter of one per cent of the wage fund, to fix direct allocations of 300 million rubles for 1936 for this purpose from the state budget, and to make the corresponding changes m the finance plans o the economic organs and institutions, and also in the income and expenditure sides of the state social insurance budget.
VIII. ON MORE SEVERE PENALTY FOR NON-PAYMENT OF ALIMONY, AND ALTERATIONS IN THE LEGISLATION ON DIVORCE
27. To amend the existing laws on marriage, family and guardianship, with the aim of combating light-minded attitudes toward the family and family obligations, and to introduce in divorce proceedings the personal attendance at ZAGS (Civil Registry Bureau) of both divorcees and the entry into the passports of the divorcees of the fact of divorce.
28. To increase the fees for registration of divorce as follows: 50 rubles for the first divorce, 150 rubles for the second, and 300 rubles each for the third and subsequent divorces.
29. To allot in court judgment on alimony one-fourth of the wages of the defendant for the maintenance of one child; one-third for the maintenance of two children, and 50 percent of the wages of the defendant for the maintenance of three or more children.
30. Payments to collective farm women to be made in workdays on the same basis.
If the mother receiving alimony is a collective farm woman and works with the defendant on the same collective farm, the management of the collective farm in calculating the workdays shall directly enter the cor responding share of the workdays earned by the father (if there are children) to the account of the mother. If the mother works on another collective farm, this entry in favor of the mother of the corresponding share of the workdays earned by the father shall be deducted on behalf of the mother in the final accounting of the workdays, by the management of the collective farm where the father works.
31. To raise to two years' imprisonment the penalty for non-payment of funds awarded by court for the maintenance of children, the search for persons refusing to pay alimony to be made at
their expense.
M. KALININ
Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR
V. MOLOTOV
Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR
I. UNSCHLICHT
Acting Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR Kremlin, Moscow, June 27, 1936
Moscow Daily News, June 28, 1936.
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