Status of Women (Khrushchev)

• • Stagnation for women in general.
  • Virgin Lands Scheme targeted young women, many subject to sexual abuse and forced to marry abusers.
  • No change in senior roles for women.
• • From 1956-63, 7.3% increase in women delegates to Communist Party.
  • In Virgin Land Scheme, women paid 15% less than men.
  • In 1950s, 74% of clerical and healthcare workers were women.
  • In 1950s, 50% of University graduates were women.
• Status of women under Khrushchev overview

  • Voices of women.
  • Impact of WW2 on women.
  • Reforms around women.
  • Difficulties in women's lives.
• Voices of women

  • Women's rights re-emphasised in the year after Stalin's death.
  • Khrushchev wanted women to continue to preform their traditional roles as wives and mothers, but he wanted to make these roles easier.
  • Khrushchev made attempts to recognise and address the problems facing women; by 1956, there were several women's magazines such as 'Woman Worker' and 'Soviet Woman'; these magazines exposed the 'double shift' and poor pay of women.
• Impact of WW2 on women

  • Proportion of women in Soviet society grew from 52% in 1939 to 55% in 1959; this was due to the high mortality rate and the deaths of over 10 million men.
  • Different styles of family; deaths of mothers and fathers during WW2 meant that the Stalinist model of heterosexual monogamy was now irrelevant; many single-parent households now existed.
• Reforms around women

  • Khrushchev introduced reforms to change the legal status of women and make life easier for both married and single women.
  • In 1955, abortion was legalised.
  • In 1956, state maternity leave increased to 112 days.
  • Light industry; 6th Five Year Plan aimed to improve the 'working and living conditions of woman workers'; Seven Year Plan aimed to eliminate 'double burden' by introducing convenience foods and providing refrigerator - ending the need for daily shopping trips.
• Difficulties in women's lives

  • Contraception remained hard to acquire.
  • Creches opened late and closed early so women still could not work a full day.
  • Some employers refused to recognise new maternity leave and maternity pay.
  • Failures of the 6th Five Year Plan and the Seven Year Plan; failed to end the 'double shift'; domestic appliances were either less helpful or less available.
  • Women spent more time on household chores than men.
  • Traditional attitudes remained; book published call 'Short Encyclopedia of Housekeeping'.