- r 88. Following several further questions on family plannlng, peace and disarmament, he stated that the relevant information would be included in the next report. Sup co of nat pol the 89. Some experts recOlmnended drawlng attention of States parties tc the deslrablllty of uSlng the posltlve experiences referred to in the above-mentioned report in order to make further progress in elimlnating discrimination against women, not only de jure, but also de facto. 96. Union of Sovlet Socialist Republics far res Dep rep and aff Par gua but 90. The Commlttee considered the initial report of the Union of Soviet Socialist RepubllcS (CEDAW/C/5/Add.12) at its 14th and 19th meetings, held on 3 and 8 August 1983 (CEDAW/C/SR.14 and 19). 91. The report was introduced by the representative of the State party who underllned that the leglslation of the Soviet Union conformed in letter and spirit to the Convention and even went beyond its provisions. Article 35 of the Constitution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics embodied the prlnciple of equality of rights between men and women in all areas of cultural, social, political and economic life. The exercise of those rights was guaranteed through equal opportunities for women in education and training, and in social, political, economic and cultural activities as well as through the adoption of special measures to protect the health of women in the workplace and to enable them to combine motherhood with work. 97. wo by wi wel mor ma Chl to ho 92. She gave a detailed account of the historical factors which had put an end to the exploitatlon of man by man. In 1918, the first Soviet legislat10n to be enacted proclaimed the equality of oolitlcal rights of all Soviet citizens. Subsequent leglslat1ve measures 1ntroduced radlcal changes in civil, labour and family matters with respect to equality between men and women. Women workers became tUlly entltled to part1cipate 1n the soclal, economlC and pol1t1cal Ilfe of the country. The Constitution 1n force not only reaffirmed the principle of equality between men and women, but guaranteed their equal1ty by leg1slative, adminlstrative, economic and other measures, and it placed emphasis also on the necessary material conditlons for achieving that equality, namely, equality of social and economic conditions, equal pay for equal work, equal opportunities to receive education and tra1n1ng, free medical care and protection of the interests of mother and child. 93. The representat1ve of the State party provided the experts wlth comprehensive statlst1cs on employment and education of women and their representation in the country's parllament, the Supreme Soviet. She also reported on family relations in the SQVlet Unlon WhlCh were developed under the 1nfluence of the eX1sting moral and ethical standardS of society and great importance was attached to the improvement of leglslation designed to strengthen further the Sov1et family. She pointed out that socialism had created economic and social conditions that made possible a mass participation of women in all spheres of the pol1tical, economic, social and cultural life of the country and in the family. pu 98. qu wh ml dir It be Co par Qu me me ~. ~ 99. ~ co wo Co th US Ch ~ ~ lI:. W ri~ 94. The Soviet political system is developing in the direction of increasingly broad participation of the citizens in the government of the State and in society. 10 la no 95. In 1982, 1,146,000 women were elected to local Soviets (50.1 per cent of the total) Women deputles are w1dely represented 1n the various committees of the c '.1 -15- 'tl .,1 :,·'1 I :·:1 ~! .1 • ..-:~