Transformation of Soviet State Policy in the Field of Motherhood and Childhood Protection at the Turn of 1980–1990s

Abstract

The scientific relevance of the article is related to the importance of identifying the prerequisites for the transition from protecting motherhood and childhood to protecting the rights of women and children in the state policy in the 1990s. Such prerequisites were of a social nature and marked the beginning of the transformation of Soviet state policy at the turn of the 1980–1990s. Accordingly, the aim of the article is to highlight the social reasons for the transformation of Soviet state policy regarding the protection of motherhood and childhood at the turn of 1980–1990s. To achieve the aim, the article uses historical, logical and cause-and-effect methods. The scientific novelty of the research is defined by a number of documents that have not been previously introduced into scientific circulation. These include paperwork documents of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR and documents related to the implementation of a set of resolutions which are stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation. The study also includes documents reflecting statistical data, such as report of the USSR on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and documents from the collection of modern political documents of the State Public Historical Library of Russia (GPIB of Russia). Data from periodicals of the indicated years were also used. The study shows that in the context of political changes in 1980–1990s the social issue, due to many political and economic reasons, required a new solution. This entailed, among other things, a change in ideas in society about the tasks of the state in the field of motherhood and childhood. As a result, there was a need to transform policy regarding the protection of motherhood and childhood, which was most fully expressed in the 1990s.