.. 181. The representative of the Ukralnian SSR reiterated that the reason her country had enacted its labour and social security legislation was that the iunction of motherhood shoUld not lnterfere with the protessional or occupational Ilfe of women. The upbringing of children was the joint responslbllity of both parents even after the marriage had been dissolved. The Family Court, on the other hand, decided on matters on WhlCh parents could not reach an agreement, which could include domlclle, custody and visiting rights. The same applied for couples not leyally marrled, whose children had the same rlghts as those born ln wedlock. The provisions of Soviet law and the coverage of social guarantees in areas where they had a direct bearlng on the performance of childbearing-related functions applied equally to women and men. 182. As regards the granting of awards for motherhood, the representative stated that statlstlcs showed that most familles averaged only one or two children. Nevertheless, as a result of the Government's family protection pollCY, a trend towards more families with three children was observed. The honour ot "Mother Heroine" was awarded by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR to mothers of 10 children, all of whom were still livng when the last-born celebrated its first birthday. The motherhood medal was awarded to mothers of five children or more. 183. The age at which women could marry was set at 17 for biological, social and historical reasons: women generally matured earlier than men, secondary schooling ended at age 17 and Ukrainian women had traditionally been able to marry at 16 years of age. Marriage was subject to no conditions other than the minimum age and the consent of the spouses. However, article 17 of the Code laid down certain prohibitions: marriage was forbidden if one of the future spouses was already married, if the future spouses were related, whether directly, collaterally or through adoption, or if one of the spouses was recognized to be incapacitated for marriage owing to disease or mental deficiency. 184. Replylng to a question regarding the effect of marriage on the names of the spouses and of the children, the representative referred to article 19 of the Code on marrlage and the family accordiny to which the spouses, at the time of Inarriage, could choose either to use the name of one spouse, or to retain their own names, or to add the name of the other spouse to their own name. As to children, article 62 of the same Code provlded that chldren should have the name of their parents or the name of one of them if the parents had different names. In the la~ter case, lf the parents could not agree on the name to be given to the child, it was for the guardianship body to decide. Dissolution of marriage did not give rise to any change in the names of the children. However, if after the dissolution of the marriage, the parent who had custody of the children wished to give them his name and they had the name of the other parent, the guardianship body could authorize the change of name with the agreement of the other parent. 185. The Constitution and the entire legislation of the Ukrainian SSR considered men and women as equal under the law. 186. The establishment of the Standing Commission of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR on Women's Llfe and Labour and the Protection of Mother and Child in 1976 is linked to the Republic's compliance with the decisions adopted on the occasion of the United Nations Decade for Women. The Commission had been invested with broad powers, including the right to veto the activities of the ministries and departments for compliance with the existing legislation on women's rights. In -29- - I ;1 I