Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Russian Federation

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) (Ratification: 1956)
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) (Ratification: 1961)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on equality, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 100 (Equal Remuneration) and 111 (Discrimination in Employment and Occupation), together.

The Committee notes the observations from the Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR) on both Conventions, communicated with the Government’s reports. It further notes the observations from the KTR on both Conventions, received on 30 August 2024. The Committee requests the Government to provide its comments in this respect.

Convention No. 111 – National policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation

Article 1(1)(a) and (3). Prohibited grounds of discrimination. Legislation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication, in its report, that section 4 of Federal Law No. 565-FZ of 12 December 2023 enshrines the principle of equality of opportunity in employment, regardless of several grounds already reflected in section 3 of the Labour Code. Referring to its previous comments, the Committee again notes with regret the absence of information from the Government on the meaning and scope of the term “convictions”, as a prohibited ground of discrimination in its legislation, and whether it also covers “political opinion” referred to in Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention. The Committee notes that, in its observations, the KTR reiterates that the current legislative framework does not ensure effective protection against discrimination and expresses concern about: (1) the lack of legal protection against indirect discrimination in all aspects of employment and occupation; (2) the absence of a clear definition of the various types of discrimination; and (3) the resulted limited understanding of the concept of discrimination among workers, employers, and judges. In light of the above, the Committee again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure effective and comprehensive protection against both direct and indirect discrimination on at least all of the grounds enumerated in Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention, including “political opinion”, and with respect to all aspects of employment and occupation in line with Article 1(3). It asks the Government to provide information on: (i) the measures taken to that end; and (ii) any proactive steps taken to raise awareness among employers, workers, their respective organizations, and law enforcement authorities regarding direct and indirect discrimination in employment and occupation.

Discrimination based on sex. Sexual harassment. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that existing legislation already provides for criminal and administrative liability for cases of violence, including offences against sexual integrity or sexual freedom, violent acts of a sexual nature and coercion to engage in such acts. Recalling that sexual harassment is a serious form of sex discrimination, the Committee regrets the absence of progress in explicitly defining and prohibiting sexual harassment in employment and occupation. It recalls that the prohibition or criminalization of specific acts, such as rape or sexual assault, does not cover the full range of behaviours that constitute sexual harassment in employment and occupation, and that, without a clear definition, it remains doubtful whether the legislation effectively addresses both quid pro quo and hostile work environment sexual harassment (see 2023 General Survey on achieving gender equality at Work, paras 111–117). The Committee again urges the Government to incorporate into labour legislation a clear definition and explicit prohibition of both forms of sexual harassment in employment and occupation. It asks the Government to provide information on: (i) practical measures taken to prevent and address sexual harassment in employment and occupation, including awareness-raising activities for employers, workers and their respective organizations; and (ii) the number of cases of sexual harassment dealt with by the courts or other competent authorities, the sanctions imposed and remedies granted.

Articles 2 and 3. Equality of opportunity and treatment irrespective of race, colour and national extraction. Roma people. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the updated Comprehensive Action Plan for the Social and Cultural Development of Roma people in the Russian Federation was approved on 12 October 2022. It further notes that: (1) the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs (FADN) coordinates the plan and oversees its implementation; (2) the Plan identifies specific measures to improve the education of Roma children, in particular through Russian-language teaching; and (3) biennial research is conducted on the integration of Roma people, with the 2022 study indicating that most Roma respondents did not report discrimination based on ethnicity or language. As regards segregation, the Government states that separate classes for Roma children are rare, limited to primary education, stem from adaptive educational programmes to address differences in education levels, and exist solely at the request of the parents. The Government further indicates that steps have been taken to counter-negative stereotypes through public information and the dissemination of materials highlighting positive aspects of Roma life, and that public subsidies have supported vocational training and employment among Roma people. The Committee welcomes this information. It observes however that several UN treaty bodies have recently expressed concern about: (1) widespread negative stereotypes, prejudices and intolerance against Roma people; (2) persistent segregation in education and reports of lower school access, attendance, retention and completion rates for Roma children at all levels; and (3) the continuing social exclusion and disproportionately high levels of poverty affecting Roma people (E/C.12/RUS/CO/7, 23 October 2025 para. 62; and CERD/C/RUS/CO/25-26, 1 June 2023, paras 14, 16 and 25). The Committee urges the Government to intensify its efforts to combat stigma, prejudices and discrimination against Roma people and to ensure effective equality of opportunity and treatment in education, training and employment. It asks the Government to provide information on:(i) the measures taken under the Comprehensive Action Plan and any available assessment of their impact;(ii) any specific measures adopted to address segregation faced by Roma people in practice, including with regard to ensuring equal access to education; and(iii) the participation of Roma people in education, vocational training and employment.

Migrant workers. The Committee notes that the information provided by the Government refers primarily to efforts to combat irregular migration, rather than to measures taken to eliminate discrimination against migrant workers on all the grounds listed in the Convention. Referring to its previous comment, the Committee recalls that the intersection between migration and discrimination should be addressed in the context of the Convention. While Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention does not refer specifically to “nationality” as a prohibited ground of discrimination, migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to prejudices and differences in treatment in the labour market on grounds such as race, colour and national extraction, often intersecting with other grounds such as gender and religion which may make it difficult to determine whether discriminatory treatment faced by migrant workers is exclusively based on their nationality or on racial, ethnic, religious or other characteristics. In that respect, the Committee further notes that several UN treaty bodies and Special Rapporteur have recently expressed concern about: (1) continued manifestations of hate speech and negative stereotypes targeting migrants, particularly those from Central Asia, the Caucasus and persons of African descent; (2) migrant workers, especially from Central Asia and the Caucasus, still facing harsh working conditions – including excessive working hours and wage violations – abuse, exploitation and discrimination in employment; and (3) limited access to complaint mechanisms, labour inspections and effective remedies (A/HRC/60/59, 15 September 2025, para. 127; E/C.12/RUS/CO/7 23 October 2025, para. 36; and CERD/C/RUS/CO/25-26,1 June 2023, para. 14, 16 and 31). The Committee notes with concern these developments and the lack of information from the Government on measures taken or envisaged to prevent and address discrimination against migrant workers. It also refers to its 2024 observation on the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) regarding the vulnerability of migrant workers to forced labour. The Committee urges the Government to prevent and combat discrimination on the grounds of race, colour and national extraction, including by addressing prejudices and stereotypes, and to ensure equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation for migrant workers and students, particularly those from Central Asia, the Caucasus and persons of African descent. It asks the Government to provide information on: (i) any specific measures implemented to that end, including awareness-raising campaigns and any assessment of their impact; and (ii) any measures taken to ensure access to protection and remedies for migrant workers victims of discrimination, including data on the number, nature and outcomes of relevant cases dealt with by the courts or other competent authorities.

Articles 1 to 3. National policy for equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the National Action Strategy for Women for 2023–30, approved by Government Resolution No. 4356-r of 29 December 2022, together with its 2023–26 action plan. It notes that the Strategy acknowledges the need to address occupational segregation, including by expanding women’s access to employment and leadership positions, particularly through the development of childcare and long-term care services. It notes the Government’s indication that an analysis carried out in 2023 recommended the introduction of specific targets and quantitative indicators to better assess the implementation of the Strategy. The Government further reports that measures have been adopted to enhance women’s access to vocational training and to expand childcare services for preschool-aged children. The Committee however notes that, according to ILOSTAT, women’s labour force participation stood at 60.3 per cent in 2024, 16.5 percentage points lower than men’s, a gap wider than in 2020. In that regard, it notes the KTR’s concerns regarding: (1) women’s persistently lower employment rates despite higher education level; (2) continuing occupational segregation, with women concentrated in education (82.4 per cent), healthcare and social services (79.7 per cent), and hotel and restaurant services (74.4 per cent); (3) the disproportionately high representation of men in senior management positions in female-dominated activities, where women account for only around 20 per cent of managers in education and 26 per cent in healthcare services as of July 2024; and (4) the overall low representation of women in senior management positions, in particular in the private sector. The KTR also highlights the underestimated importance of temporary special measures – such as employment quotas – to reduce vertical segregation and accelerate de facto equality. The Committee further notes that, in its 2025 concluding observations, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) expressed concern about persistent gender disparities, the disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic and care work borne by women and their under-representation in decision-making positions in both the public and private sectors (E/C.12/RUS/CO/7, 23 October 2025, para. 26). The Committee urges the Government to: (i) intensify its efforts to address gender stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society, as well as persistent vertical and horizontaloccupational segregation; and (ii) provide information on the nature and impact of measures adopted to enhance gender equality in employment and occupation, including statistical data on men’s and women’s participation in vocational training and employment, disaggregated by economic sector and occupational category.

Articles 1(1)(a) and 5. Discrimination based on sex. Special measures of protection. The Committee notes the adoption of Order No. 724n of 25 December 2024 of the Ministry of Labour, amending the list of jobs and occupations with harmful or hazardous working conditions where women’s employment is restricted, established by Order No. 512 of 18 July 2019 pursuant to section 253 of the Labour Code. It observes that, while several mining activities are now open to women, new restrictions were introduced at the same time. In its observations, the KTR stresses that, despite a shortened list, women remain excluded from a wide range of sectors and occupations, creating a broad de facto ban that affects all women in the country and further reinforces horizontal occupational segregation. The KTR adds that many of the prohibited jobs for women offer higher wages – 20 to 30 per cent above regional averages – and enhanced social benefits, and that, in smaller industrial towns characterized by a predominance of industries included in the list, such restrictions significantly reduce women’s employment opportunities. The Committee further notes that a draft bill No. 251841-8, aimed at repealing section 253 of the Labour Code “to eliminate the legal basis for professional and economic discrimination against women”, was rejected by the State Duma through Resolution No. 3980-8 GD of 25 May 2023. Observing that the National Action Strategy for Women for 2023–2030 acknowledges the need to reduce restrictions on women’s work, the Committee again urges the Government to ensure that any remaining limitations are strictly limited to maternity protection and based on objective risk assessment, rather than stereotyped perceptions of women’s capacities. It again asks the Government to provide information on: (i) progress made in reviewing these restrictions, including in consultation with the social partners; and (ii) measures taken or envisaged to address legal and practical barriers to women’s employment, including through amendments to sections 99, 113, 253, 259 and 298 of the Labour Code concerning working time restrictions for women with young children.

Convention No. 100 – Principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value

Articles 1 to 4. Assessing and addressing the gender pay gap. The Committee notes, from the statistical information of the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), that the average gender pay gap increased by 2.9 per cent since 2021, reaching 30.4 per cent in 2023. It observes that the gap was as wide as 33.5 per cent among highly qualified specialists – 69.6 per cent of whom were women – and up to 42.1 per cent among top-level managers. Across economic sectors, women’s wages remained systematically lower than men’s, with women still concentrated in lower-paid sectors, such as education and healthcare and social services, while men predominated in higher-paid sectors, such as construction and mining. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the gender pay gap largely reflects occupational segregation and persistent stereotypes regarding the roles of men and women in the family, with women bearing a disproportionate burden of family responsibilities. In this regard, the Committee notes that, according to the KTR, the widest gender pay gap occurs between ages 30 and 39, when family responsibilities are at their highest. The KTR adds that limited childcare and long-term care services continue to restrict women’s access to higher-paid positions, thereby contributing to persistent gender pay disparities. The Committee refers in this respect to its 2022 direct request on the application of the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156). The Committee notes with concern the widening gender pay gap and the repeated lack of information from the Government on concrete measures taken to address this situation. It recalls that the underlying causes of the gender pay gap are closely related to equality of opportunity and treatment between men and women in employment and occupation. Observing that the National Action Strategy for Women for 2023–2030 acknowledges the need to reduce pay differentials between men and women, the Committee urges the Government to take the necessary steps to reduce the gender pay gap and to provide: (i) information on proactive measures addressing its structural causes, including occupational segregation and gender stereotypes; and (ii) statistical data, disaggregated by sex, on pay disparities by economic sector and occupational category.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.