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Examining Child Marriage in Russia

Child Marriage in RussiaIn 2015, the headline “Chechen Police Chief Marries Teen Bride Amid Mounting Scandal” appeared in The Moscow Times, before appearing in The Guardian. The image at the top of the article displays a young girl, simply 17, next to the groom, Nazhud Guchigov. When the story first broke, reporters stated that Guchigov was 57, but later amended this to 46. Guchigov’s marriage was a hot topic for several reasons; allegedly, Guchigov utilized his authority as a police chief to intimidate his bride’s parents and he was already married to another woman, and Guchigov made divisive statements regarding the matter on his Instagram.

About Child Marriage in Russia

In Russia, 254,000 girls were married by 15, and 5.4 million were married by 18. Unfortunately, even the best resources and websites on the matter do not provide much information regarding the population of girls who are experiencing coercion to marry. According to Girls Not Brides, an organization dedicated to eradicating child marriage and advocating for young women in developing countries, under Russia’s Article 12 of the Family Code, both men and women must be at least 18 years old to marry. However, there is other legislation that provides loopholes. Under Article 13 of the Family Code, a boy and a girl can marry at younger than 18, but never younger than 14 under special circumstances.

When dealing with child marriage in Russia, the problem runs significantly deeper than laws concerning the age of consent and getting beyond that red tape. Poverty, gender inequality and deep-rooted practices are all factors that influence the rate of child marriage; these factors are incredibly prevalent in modern Russia.

In 2020, the percentage of Russians living in poverty was 12.1%. While poverty has been decreasing throughout Russia, despite the ongoing war with Ukraine, poverty disproportionately affects women. The persistent pay gap and income gap greatly impact the average earnings of women in Russia. The matter becomes worse. As women tend to make less money, a woman’s poverty is then passed down to her children, affecting their access to higher education. Consider this pattern regarding the cycle of child marriage. Higher education is a wonderful resource when offering girls careers and lives outside of being a housewife, yet Russia’s current economy stubbornly limits a woman to that role.

Poverty and Misogyny in Russia

Poverty also exacerbates misogyny, the root cause behind child marriage in Russia. Russia’s domestic violence rate reflects Russia’s sexism and misogyny. Domestic violence against women is abundant in Russia, where 10% of all domestic violence deaths globally take place. For reference, Russia comprises 2% of the world’s population. There is abundant evidence revealing the link between poverty and domestic violence, and living in poverty can intensify violence towards women to immense extremes. Barbara Niess-May of the Safe House Center provides specific data points to make this point clearer: “In short, being poor further entraps the survivor in the abuse, and often lengthens any process she may go through to escape.” Returning to Russia’s domestic violence, the poverty disproportionately affecting women easily becomes a tool, manipulated by the abuser to keep the victim beneath him.

In a study by Marina Pisklakova-Parker, titled “Gender Issues in Russia,” she found that “71 percent of Russians share the opinion that the main purpose of a woman is to be a mother and a good housewife.” More concerningly, she also reported that “The Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova publicly stated that since 10 April 2020, the number of domestic violence cases had more than doubled from 6,054 to about 13,000 per month.”

The Work of the ANNA Center

Despite the previously mentioned statistics, there is a growing feminist movement within Russia. The government has pledged to end child marriages in Russia by the year 2030; the United Nations has also made it a global goal to end all child marriages. Foreign aid plays a critical role when advocating for girls and women inside Russia, and the efforts have not been in vain. According to Bearr.org, there are 2% fewer domestic violence murders and 6% fewer rapes. Marina Pisklakova-Parker, the previously mentioned researcher, created The ANNA Center, the first domestic violence shelter for women in Russia, in 2015. Following the ANNA Center is the Zona Prava, the Consortium of Women’s Non-government Organizations, Nasiliu and the You Are Not Alone Network as the leading Russian NGOs combating violence against women, which includes child marriage. 

The impact of these shelters is no small feat, and sparked great change throughout the country of Russia. Pisklakova-Parker’s ANNA shelter is open to all women, no matter their income or residential address, two factors that make state shelters inaccessible to many women. To gain entry to a state shelter, women had to bring documentation of their husbands’ finances. In implementing this rule, many women are so longer able to utilize the shelter’s safety, as it would demand that they confront their abusers about their leaving. ANNA has no such rule, and is open to whoever needs the shelter. There is no public information containing how many women ANNA has helped, but in interviews, Pisklakova-Parker speaks positively of the growth of the shelter.

Nasiliu

Operating alongside ANNA, Nasiliu is an online resource for victims of domestic violence. Anna Rivinia established Nasiliu in 2015, beginning as a media project that focused on raising awareness of domestic violence in Russia. As recently as April 18, 2024, Nasiliu has expanded to global outreach for all Russian-speaking victims across the world. Most admirably, Nasiliu provides education on how to combat domestic violence legally within the framework of the Russian legal system.

– Peyton Worsham

Peyton is based in Jacksonville, FL, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Nonprofits Tackling Poverty in Russia

Nonprofits Against Poverty in Russia More than a decade ago, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) halted operations in Russia after Russian authorities accused the organization of interfering in domestic politics. This departure posed challenges for many groups that relied on USAID funding. Despite this, various nonprofits in Russia have adapted to these circumstances and remain dedicated to addressing critical needs including poverty in Russia.

Poverty in Russia

Russia has seen a steady decline in poverty in recent years. In 2023, 13.5 million people—9% of the population—lived below the poverty line, a decrease from 14.3 million the previous year, according to Reuters. However, the years following USAID’s withdrawal saw a rise in poverty, with rates peaking in 2015. This surge largely stemmed from the economic consequences of Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine war in 2014.

Russia’s national poverty line measures the inability to afford necessities like food, clothing and essential services. By international standards, the World Bank reported that only about 2% of Russia’s population lived below the global poverty line in 2021. While these figures reveal progress, significant challenges remain, especially for the most vulnerable populations.

Nonprofits Making Change

Several nonprofits in Russia have taken up the mantle to tackle poverty and improve living conditions for those in need. These organizations focus on a range of issues, from health care and homelessness to children’s health.

  • Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP). An international network of more than 18,400 civil society organizations in the fight against inequality and poverty. GCAP’s Russia National Organization comprises 29 member groups dedicated to reducing inequality and poverty. GCAP focuses on improving health care access in impoverished communities, primarily by spreading awareness of health care rights and services.
  • Nochlezhka. Founded in 1990, Nochlezhka works nationwide to assist and protect the rights of individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization provides shelters, night buses, heating tents, counseling services and halfway homes. Nochlezhka collaborates with hundreds of partners and volunteers to address the needs of Russia’s homeless population effectively.
  • Caritas Russia. Operating under the international Caritas network and affiliated with the Catholic Church, Caritas Russia supports youth, people without homes, individuals battling addiction and those facing unemployment. The organization offers shelters, home-care services, reintegration programs for inmates and released prisoners and camps for children in need.
  • Children’s Hearts.  Since 2002, Children’s Hearts has supported children with heart disease by raising funds and purchasing critical medical equipment for clinics. The organization has assisted nearly 5,000 children, with donations totaling $16 million (more than 1.5 billion rubles).

Looking Forward

Nonprofits in Russia continue their efforts to address poverty amid complex challenges and an evolving national landscape. Their work highlights the importance of collaboration, advocacy and sustained support to combat inequality and improve the lives of vulnerable populations. While greater action is necessary to create lasting change, these organizations provide hope and vital services to those in need.

– Olivia Young

Olivia is based in New York, NY, USA and focuses on Global Health, Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Russian Minorities in Estonia and Latvia: Combating Discrimination

Russian Minorities in Estonia and LatviaEstonia, which gained independence following the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, is still home to a large Russian minority, composing around a quarter of the population. In Latvia, another post-Soviet Baltic state, a similar percentage of the population is ethnically Russian. Russian minorities in Estonia and Latvia face language barriers and discrimination that exacerbate poverty among these communities.

Citizenship and Language

Many Russian-speaking residents of Estonia do not have citizenship. According to data from 2017, 19% of ethnic Russians living in Estonia are non-citizens. This, combined with Estonian language requirements, makes it harder for Russians living in Estonia to find work and housing, and to benefit from social services. As a result of these factors, 24.6% of ethnic Russians in Estonia are at risk of poverty, compared with just 18.9% of Estonians, according to 2019 data.

In Latvia, Russian language education will be phased out by 2025 under a recent law that received criticism from the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). A similar law has also been enacted in Estonia, with similar criticism from the OHCHR.

Discrimination: A Political Talking Point

Importantly, the Russian government has often used the alleged discrimination of Russian minorities within post-Soviet countries as a political talking point. Indeed, this was one of Putin’s justifications for the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine., according to the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOIS).

However, this does not detract from the legitimacy of such anti-Russian discrimination when it does occur. There is a danger that anti-Russian ginned up in the wake of Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine could exacerbate existing issues of inequality and discrimination within Latvia and Estonia. A survey conducted in the immediate aftermath of the 2022 invasion found that 40% of those residing in Latvia agreed that attitudes towards the country’s Russians were worsening, ZOIS reports.

Estonian-Russian Language Group

Started in 2012, Keelengrupp is an informal grassroots community group that offers free Estonian and Russian language classes in a relaxed and informal setting. The organization serves the dual purpose of helping Russian speakers overcome language barriers while also helping to build bridges across communities.

It organizes meetings through the Keelengrupp Facebook group and often revolves around leisure activities such as playing board games or watching movies, according to Cambridge University Press. Such activities allow for civic, multicultural, and multilingual exchange in an otherwise stratified society, while also helping Russian speakers acquire the Estonian language skills necessary to succeed professionally and financially.

Promoting the Russian Language in Estonia

Founded in 1996, the Latvian Association for the Support of Schools with Instruction in Russian (LASHOR) focuses on promoting Russian language education in Latvia. LASHOR has been an outspoken critic of Latvia’s recent restrictions on Russian education, speaking up on the topic during the 15th session of the U.N. Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva in 2022. It has also advocated for the adoption of the Law on Educational Institutions of National Minorities, which would seek to provide opportunities for studying the languages of national minorities. As of April 2021, nearly 5,000 people have signed the LASHOR petition in support of the proposed law.

Despite the challenges Russian minorities in Estonia and Latvia face, grassroots organizations and groups are working to overcome the language-based segregation of Russian speakers through community building and language learning. Going forward, the goal is that this community-based approach will better enable disadvantaged Russians to navigate Estonian and Latvian society, with the eventual hope of also bringing about changes to government policy.

– Josephine Koch

Josephine is based in Grand Marais, MI, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Disability and Poverty in Russia

Disability and Poverty in RussiaRussia’s poverty rate across all demographics sits at 12.1% as of 2020, per the World Bank. Further, 13 million Russians have disabilities, which is roughly 9% of the total population. In lower and middle-income countries, which includes Russia, disabled people are twice as likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people. As with many countries, disability and poverty in Russia are linked to each other; Russia’s history of discrimination against disabled people relegates many of them to live in poverty and this marginalized demographic faces discrimination in modern-day Russia.

History

Historically, the Russian government has treated its disabled citizens with disregard for their well-being. The current Russian Federation’s former governing state, the Soviet Union, outright denied their existence in the country, infamously declining to participate in the first iteration of the Paralympic Games in 1980, claiming that no disabled people existed in the country.

Before this, the Soviet government assigned disabled World War II veterans to low-paying jobs upon their return from war, thus relegated to poverty. These new jobs assigned to the now-disabled Russian veterans often disregarded their previous careers and skill sets. They reduced them to being defined by their disability.

This practice of job reassignment created an association between poverty and disability in Russia and disabled citizens were given little opportunity to better their conditions beyond their low-wage occupations.

Modern Problems

In addition to the higher rates of poverty among disabled Russians, discrimination against people with disabilities is still pervasive in the country. In 1995, the Russian Federation passed a law outlining a federal definition of disability, a step forward from the Soviet Union’s denial of disabled Russians.

Despite the federal acknowledgment of disabled citizens, the country still lacks adequate resources for them. Disabled people in Russia, particularly children with disabilities, are mistreated. For example, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), Russian orphanages have been caught transferring their disabled residents to state-run institutions without their consent once they have turned 18 when they instead should be transitioned into living independently.

This comes in tandem with allegations of abuse inside Russian orphanages, where an estimated 30% of disabled Russian children live. These orphanages hold children for extended periods despite being intended only for temporary stays. Former residents have accused these children’s homes of tying patients to beds, sedating them and temporarily transferring them to mental institutions against their will as punishment.

Solutions

The violence and adversity faced by disabled people are still pervasive. However, some organizations are working to alleviate the issues that come from disability and poverty in Russia. To combat the adversity faced by disabled Russians, some citizens have started their own charities and nonprofits to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and give support to their families.

For example, Perspektiva is a Russian nonprofit that works to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, including helping them find employment to diminish the number of people living with both disability and poverty in Russia. Perspektiva has helped Russians with disabilities complete internships with international companies, such as Ernst and Young, L’Oreal and SAP and it lists hundreds of jobs on its employment portal for disabled job applicants.

Final Remark

The social acknowledgment of disabled Russians and the work of charities like Perspektiva have helped improve the status of disabled Russians living in poverty. However, this vulnerable demographic still needs assistance and advocacy to improve further.

– Elizabeth Nelms
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Tourists Flock to Dagestan During COVID-19

DagestanOnce seen as a dangerous and violent place, the Republic of Dagestan in Russia has recently experienced a dramatic shift in visitation. Amid a strict lockdown, Russian tourists have swarmed to Dagestan during COVID-19. Although the republic remains one of Russia’s poorest regions, its tourist sector has thrived under pandemic conditions while Russian tourists scour for affordable trips and avoid capricious international borders.

A Brief History of Dagestan

Two consecutive wars in its neighbor region, Chechnya, greatly afflicted Dagestan. The Chechen revolution produced a “breeding ground for latent animosity” for both Chechnya and Dagestan. The spillover from the Chechen wars scarred Dagestani territories.

In the late 1990s, many Dagestani villages seceded from Russia and established Islamic law. The ensuing deployment of Russian troops to Dagestan resulted in 10 years of fighting.

Today, Russian soldiers are still present in Dagestan. However, the insurgency that gave the republic its fearsome reputation has been mostly suppressed.

Dagestan and COVID-19

From the beginning, Dagestan was an easy target for COVID-19. Many Dagestani men are truck drivers who travel across Russia to Iran and beyond. Furthermore, many citizens of Dagestan returned to villages unchecked when the lockdown was first declared in March 2020.

Low resources plagued Dagestan during COVID-19. The republic suffered from poor COVID-19 testing capacity, little to no PPE and a shortage of medicine/medics. In the summer of 2020, the immediate crisis had lightened and volunteers were a huge help, saving villages from turmoil.

However, Dagestan did its best to fight COVID-19. A new hospital in Gurbuki, Dagestan, opened in December 2019 and 50% of medical personnel fell ill. Instead of waiting for the government to provide aid, locals rounded up volunteers who began working in the wards. Additionally, volunteers set up checkpoints at the village’s entrance, attempting to control the spread of COVID-19. When the hospital started running low on oxygen, volunteers trekked 75 miles round trip to Makhachkala, Dagestan’s capital, to refill gas canisters. Dagestan’s efforts proved worthwhile as the region became attractive to tourists during the pandemic.

The Effects of Tourism in Dagestan

Dagestan has benefitted from the recent influx of visitors. Tourism brings in revenue and the increasing popularity of the region might save its culture.

In recent years, thousands of young people have left the isolated mountain villages of Dagestan to live in towns and cities. The departure of this many young people is enough to worry about the survival of villages in Dagestan. The abandonment of the ancient mountain villages, or auls, inevitably leads to the disappearance of the village altogether. Additionally, with the loss of the villages comes the loss of culture.

Chokh villager, Zaur Tshokholov, came up with the idea to save the villages using income from guesthouses. After gaining some fame from a documentary, Man of Chokh, Tshokholov’s guesthouse is now almost always full. Recently, more rooms have been added and other buildings have been renovated.

The guesthouses have sparked tourism potential across Dagestan. Tourism has provided income and job opportunities. Additionally, tourism has the potential to break down past political barriers that were put up by terrorist attacks from a different era. Not to mention, the increased interest in Dagestan could help save many villages. Dagestan during COVID-19 has been revitalized in a way once thought impossible.

– Addison Franklin
Photo: Flickr

Child Poverty in Russia

Child Poverty in RussiaWhile Russia is a very resource-rich country, it suffers from intense social inequality. The top 1% of the Russian population control 71% of the nation’s wealth. 13% of Russians are currently living in poverty. Unfortunately, the majority of people living in extreme poverty are children. 60% of those living below the poverty line in Russia are families with children. As a result of social inequality, child poverty in Russia continues to rise.  Currently, one in four Russian children lives below the poverty line.

Poverty in Russia

Russia is one of the world’s largest exporters of oil. As such, those that control the oil industry generate great wealth.  However, this leaves many others to suffer in poverty. The nation has a high unemployment rate, but people who have obtained employment often suffer as well. The minimum wage in Russia is among the lowest of all developed countries. The monthly minimum wage in Russia is 12,310 rubles, which is the equivalent of $196.

Additionally, 26% of Russian children live off of close to $150 per month. Child poverty in Russia is most prevalent in rural areas, as many do not have access to employment opportunities in the city. The majority of children living in poverty reside with their families. Most families have three children and are often unable to sustain themselves with their current income.

Aid in Russia

USAID has worked with the government to create programs and opportunities that aim to remedy child poverty in Russia and help foster the economy. Specifically, USAID has created a child welfare program for Russian children living in poverty. The program provided services that focused on reducing child abandonment and finding foster families for children without homes. Fortunately, this program has already increased family reunification by 33%, and there was an 85% increase of children finding foster families.

Various programs helped diversify the Russian economy and uplift struggling families. USAID has worked to increase the development of Russian small business sectors. Small businesses make up 12% of the economy, which is only one-fifth of what is found in other developed nations.

By 2024, Russia aims to reduce the poverty rate by 50%. Russia must work to decrease the extreme amounts of social inequality and provide more opportunities for people in rural areas to alleviate poverty. Additionally, an increase in minimum wage will allow families to sufficiently provide for themselves.

Many programs have been implemented to help reduce child poverty in Russia.  While substantial change has been made, the Russian government must continue to increase its efforts to uplift the economy and families struggling in poverty.

– Christopher McLean
Photo: Flickr

Closed Cities and Their Effect on Poverty in Russia

Poverty in Russia
During the rise of the Soviet Union, former General Secretary of the Communist Party Joseph Stalin developed weapons programs and other strategic plans to insulate and defend the Union from possible attack. To keep these matters private and accessible only to the government, Stalin chose more than 44 closed administrative territory entities (ZATO) to store and maintain these resources. These territories are now famous as closed cities in Russia. Here is some information about closed cities and their effect on poverty in Russia.

Closed Cities in Russia

After the allied forces of Western Europe, the Soviet Union and the United States defeated Germany, Italy and Japan, thus ending World War II, some ZATO closed cities in Russia re-opened to the public whereas others have remained closed even after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992. 

Closed cities span the entire nation of Russia. If a citizen is born and raised in any particular closed city in Russia, they have unique citizenship status and pass to the city where routine exit and re-entry into the closed city is permitted. However, once that individual chooses to move residence outside of the closed city, the city may not allow them back in. The exit/re-entry requirements are strict because many of these ZATO cities housed nuclear weapons plants during the period of the Soviet Union. 

Life in Closed Cities in Russia

Closed cities in Russia contribute to the poor middle class. In Russia’s modern, globalized economy, Stalinist economics no longer have their place. Closed cities are very similar to isolated nations such as Cuba and North Korea and the residents of these cities are insulated from the rest of the nation to a great extent. Business development struggles to make advances and indigenous people experience boredom and a lack of productivity.  

The cities also experienced exclusion from train and bus routes and people generally knew them only by a postal code that consisted of a name and a number. Numbered one to 44, these cities continue to isolate more than 1.5 million Russian citizens from the rest of the nation. During the 1980s and 1990s, inhabitants of closed cities were to carry their lives in secrecy to the same extent as KGB agents of the Soviet Union. For their privacy and secrecy, residents of closed cities in Russia received private apartments, health care and jobs for life.

The Present and Future of Closed Cities in Russia

In 2018, all 44 closed cities in Russia still exist almost independently of the Russian Federation. Similar to non-committal Switzerland with respect to the European Union, closed cities operate independently from the rest of the country but citizens still carry all the rights and privileges inherent to Russian citizenship. Notwithstanding the simplicity of life for residents of closed cities, their inability to reach out to the rest of the country, globalize, integrate, trade and work openly contributes to national poverty in Russia. 

To address the issue of closed cities in Russia, and thus, poverty in Russia, one possibility for the residents of these cities to congregate is to represent themselves in the legislative appeal to re-open particular cities that appear to particularly suffer from a current state of affairs. Alternatively, the Russian government can begin to take progressive measures to re-open these borders and take a more liberal stance on the issue entirely. Considering pressure from the West in terms of sanctions, embargoes and political strife, Russia is only serving to further hurt itself in the globalized world by keeping these cities closed. 

– Nicholas Maldarelli

Photo: Flickr

10 Facts About Poverty in Russia

Poverty in Russia
Russia is a highly controversial country today, with many people questioning what the government’s policies are and how the citizens of Russia truly feel about their leaders. In any case, poverty in Russia is a problem. From wealth inequality to political corruption, Russia’s poverty challenges are multi-dimensional.

Russia’s poverty rate is on the rise

In the late 1990’s Russia’s poverty rates rose to 29 percent. In the early 2000s, incomes increased and allowed a significant amount of people to rise above the poverty line. Poverty rates in the early 2000s stayed constant at around 10 percent. Unfortunately, the poverty rate has seen an increase in recent years, with 13.5 percent of Russians living in poverty in 2016.

Politics drastically affect poverty in Russia

Russia’s longtime leader Vladimir Putin secured a fourth term on March 18 and has been widely criticized by many leaders around the globe for aggressive military actions and corruption. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia after the annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These sanctions have led to increased poverty in Russia, as well as food shortages.

Falling oil prices have led to an increase in poverty

Along with economic sanctions, rapidly falling oil prices have severely reduced Russia’s revenue from oil exports. As a result, the economy in Russia has been hit hard and its people have seen an increase in poverty rates.

Wealth inequality is a major problem

The contrast between the rich and the poor in Russia is apparent. Studies have shown that Russia’s most affluent 10 percent control roughly 77 percent of the wealth. Despite this, Putin has made it clear that he wishes to invest in infrastructure in Russia and do everything possible to decrease economic dependence on Western powers.

The embargo on western foods has not helped Russia

In 2014, the Russian government banned the importation of many food products from Western countries in response to Western-imposed sanctions. This embargo was meant to hurt the West, but it also led to a heightened food scarcity, especially for those struggling with poverty in Russia.

Russia’s agricultural sector struggles

Russia has been known to have large amounts of barren farmland, which makes food production difficult. Coupled with the embargo on Western products, it has led to a very turbulent economy and a lack of confidence in food security over the last 10 years.

Rural citizens are providing poverty solutions

Russia’s rural citizens often enjoy a higher quality of life due to their ability to grow food and produce products others need. With the food embargo, many of Russia’s rural citizens have been pressured to produce more and, as a result, have found new ways to produce more products domestically.

Short-term solutions are unlikely

Russia would undoubtedly benefit from more friendly relationships with Western territories and its neighbors in the East. While this is unlikely given Putin’s recent military actions and opinions on Western power, the poverty-stricken citizens in Russia would benefit from a long-term lift of sanctions and embargos.

Russia needs a more cohesive strategy to fight poverty

Russia needs to build more cohesive poverty-fighting strategies if it wishes to increase the quality of life for its citizens. Putin has said that his government wishes to increase domestic spending on infrastructure and poverty reduction, but have not clearly stated what actions it will take or where it will get the funding.

Russia’s battle with poverty is far from over

Russia’s economic hardships are not going to see an end overnight. Many of its issues are long-standing and notoriously difficult to improve. With new conflicts arising with the West and Russia’s neighbors, it’s hard to envision a quick path to poverty resolution.

Poverty in Russia is ongoing and multi-dimensional. Diminishing oil profits, one-dimensional economic conditions and government sanctions play a major role in the poverty problems in Russia. A struggling agricultural sector and sanctions on U.S. goods cause serious problems for food security in Russia. The country has a long road ahead in an attempt to reduce poverty within its borders.

– Dalton Westfall
Photo: Flickr

A New Perspective: Exploring Poverty in Russia Through Literature

Poverty in Russia
From extravagant ballrooms to bloody battlefields, the world of Russian literature tells a tale about one of the greatest nations on earth. But away from the elegance and high life looms another world full of poverty, not ignored by the great artists who witnessed it. In fact, many of the great Russian authors chose to write about poverty in Russia.

Fyodor Dostoevsky

The great novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the few Russian authors to be born into a middle-class family and who lived in poverty himself for a number of years, highlighted poverty in Russia throughout his career. In his book, “Crime and Punishment,” Dostoevsky tells a story about an impoverished student who murders a pawnbroker for money. The reader soon learns, however, that money was not his whole motivation, nor did it benefit the main character.

In the tome, Dostoevsky writes, “In poverty, you may still retain your innate nobility of soul, but in beggary — never — no one. For beggary, a man is not chased out of human society with a stick, he is swept out with a broom, so as to make it as humiliating as possible; and quite right, too, forasmuch as in beggary as I am ready to be the first to humiliate myself.”

As the story goes on, Dostoevsky fills the reader in with details about the main character’s impoverished life. Dostoevsky’s solution to poverty in Russia boils down to his religious beliefs. He thought that one should be charitable, in a Christian manner, to help out those in need.

Nikolai Chernyshevsky

Dostoevsky’s contemporary and rival, Nikolai Chernyshevsky, had a much different view of the situation in Russia. Chernyshevsky, a radical communist and revolutionary, believed that instating a communist system of government would free the Russian people from the grasp of impoverishment. Chernyshevsky’s magnum opus, “What Is to Be Done?,” went on to influence a number of communist revolutionaries, including Vladimir Lenin.

Dostoevsky would battle communist ideals throughout his life, but most notably in his book, “Notes From Underground,” which was a response to, “What Is to Be Done?”. In rebuttal to Chernyshevsky’s proposals, Dostoevsky writes, “But man has such a predilection for systems and abstract deductions that he is ready to distort the truth intentionally, he is ready to deny the evidence of his senses only to justify his logic.”

“Notes From Underground” was largely an argument against Chernyshevsky’s ideas, but this argument is a great example of the ideas that battled each other in nineteenth-century Russia. Many saw communism as a way of repairing the broken state of the Russian people, particularly the ones living in poverty. Others thought reform in farming would bring prosperity to the Russian lower-class.

From Turgenev to Tolstoy, Russian authors in the nineteenth century all battled with the economic problems of the lower-class. Some ignored them, some wrote about them, but it was clear that literature had an impact on poverty in Russian. In events leading up to the communist revolution in 1917, revolutionaries would praise or criticize certain authors for their views on the economic situation in Russian; undoubtedly, writers had a great impact on the problem of poverty in Russia.

– Tristan Gaebler

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

How the Media Misrepresents Russia and its Ramifications

How the Media Misrepresents Russia
The fourth estate continues to plays a very crucial role in representing Russia on the global stage, especially as it remains at the epicenter of international political discourse (and even propaganda) in recent years. Yet, at the same time, the media misrepresents Russia and and helps create a subject of polarization and contentious, worldwide debate.

Over the years, media portrayal of current affairs in the country — particularly its involvement in the Syrian Civil War and the Ukrainian crisis —  as alleged human rights violations and treatment of dissidents has sparked a great deal of controversy.

How Does the Media Misrepresent Russia?

Historically, the media misrepresents Russia largely in regard to the country’s fractious relationship with its western counterparts, divisions that date back to the Cold War era and the entrenched divisions between East and West. Consequently, many ordinary Russians strongly believe that the way the media misrepresents Russia has not altered much since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Given the ubiquitous influence of the mainstream media globally, there is a definite positive correlation between media and poverty reduction due to the medium’s power and impact on public opinion and global political agendas. At the same time, the mainstream media caters to a wide array of stakeholder groups and other parties within their target audiences.

Global Representations

As a result of the misleading representation, perceptions of poverty and other important social and economic issues in Russia can become distorted. For example, Russian poverty rates and economic growth and recovery figures tend to vary with different sources. These can grow to be major impediments to understanding long-run social progress and development in the country.

Moreover, the inordinate amount of coverage dedicated to geopolitical issues in Russia greatly debilitates the already preexisting lower levels of coverage for poverty-related issues. Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin is often branded a pariah in regard to the intense international media attention and scrutiny placed on his actions, decisions and Russia’s foreign policy goals.

The Ramifications of International Media Attention

There seems to be a near-constant deficiency in the presentation of domestic social issues in the country, particularly President Putin’s promised six-year poverty reduction plan and the country’s economic recovery after the fall in global oil prices.

There could be a significant number of effects on the perspective and reputation of the country due to the media misrepresenting Russia. Media coverage can also become an important precursor for international credit ratings and global economic and financial rankings. These scores may have unforeseen impacts on important trade relationships, diplomatic relations and future investments to the country.

Overall, eradicating inconsistencies in media coverage can perhaps serve as a stepping stone to address social issues with more clarity and look past the lens of double standards that can often impact a nation’s representation. Hopefully, the international community will be able to participate in this new news coverage, and take on a more effective role in aiding the world’s poor.

 – Shivani Ekkanath

Photo: Flickr