En(Gendering) Policy: Gender Policies in Former Soviet Republics

Abstract

This dissertation examines gender policies in former Soviet republics. Gender policies are depicted as traditional policies (including such policies as child support, spousal support, and inheritance rights), violence against women policies (domestic violence, marital rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment), and human trafficking policies. It builds upon previous works with a multi-methodological approach (content analysis, logistical regression, and qualitative survey analysis). The focus here is on the factors that influence adoption of formal policies in former Soviet republics from 1993-2008. I explore variance across both countries and policy areas, assessing whether (and why) certain post-Soviet states are more likely to adopt certain policies over others and examining the diversity among former Soviet republics in their adoption and response to particular policies. I pay particular attention to whether the provision of policies in one issue area is related to the provision of policies in another issue area—that is, the degree to which governments can be seen as promoting (or not promoting) these policies in general or whether government action across various issues areas seems unrelated.