Mommy Tax in Russia: Investigating Manifestations of Systematic Gender Inequality in Post-Communist Social Welfare State

The Russian Federation boasts generous family policies and gender equality laws. However systemic inequality issues remain. Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, women pay a significant “mommy tax,” the loss of promotion and hiring opportunities, which results in lower earnings and future pension benefits for years spent caring for young children. The study identifies policy shortcoming that contribute to the burden of “mommy tax” and places Russia in the context of other European countries, which implemented more comprehensive policies aimed at providing broader opportunities for women to raise children without sacrificing earnings potential or career advancement.