Отчет Киргизского областного женотдела с июня 1922 по июль 1923 г. (Уразбаева) Report of the Kirgiz Oblast Zhenotdel [Women's Department] From June 1922 through July 1923 (Urazbaeva)

Translation

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Report of the Kirgiz Oblast Zhenotdel [Women's Department] From June 1922 through July 1923.

Before proceeding to the semiannual report by the Kirgiz Oblast Zhenotdel, I find it necessary to note when and under what conditions the Oblast Zhenotdel began its work as the leading body working among women in Kirgizia.

And to briefly cover the legal and economic situation.

The Oblast Zhenotdel has existed since January 1921, but if one traces its work all the way up to 1922, other than the sign "Oblast Zhenotdel" there was nothing of significance.

This must be blamed on the lack of qualified functionaries who know the krai's everyday life, as well as the liquidationist wave that swept through almost every corner of Soviet Russia, which was reflected in Kirgizia.

Only in 1922, after the Second All-Kirgiz Party Conference, where the necessity of elevating work among women, especially among Kirgiz women, was raised in a pointed way, did the Kirgiz Oblast Committee pay serious attention to recruiting more or less appropriate functionaries, and only since then has the Oblast Zhenotdel, in addition to a lifeless sign, begun, little by little, to acquire a lifelike content.

At the beginning of 1922 we had zhenotdels in only 3 gubernias of the Kirgiz SSR (Orenburg, Semipalatinsk and Uralsk), and they were eking out a very wretched existence, having no proper relations with party bodies, and improperly structured.

Thanks to the hard work of the Oblast Zhenotdel, and mainly thanks to the Kirgiz Oblast Committee's attentive, practical attitude as a whole toward organizing and elevating the work among women, especially in regard to recalls, registrations and assignments of personnel resources, we managed to create

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staffs for work among women, "Zhenotdels," in the other 6 gubernias, not counting Adaev Uezd, which is where I received a notification before my departure that the two functionaries we had sent—Tatar women—had been banished from there by the Adaev Uezd Committee, but that Adaev Uezd is a hellhole not only for functionaries of the Zhenotdel but in general for party and Soviet functionaries. And Kirgiz Oblast faces the question of reviewing the composition … Therefore we currently had a fully staffed Oblast Zhenotdel where four people were working: One Head, two Instructors and one Technical Secretary—one of whom is a Kirgiz woman and the others Russian women. Eight Gubernia zhenotdels with three functionaries each. Among them, in Bukeevsk Gubernia all of them are Kirgiz women, one party member and two nonparty members. In Aktiubinsk one is a Kirgiz woman and a nonparty member, one is a Tatar woman and a party member. In Akmolinsk one is a Tatar woman, a party member. In Orenburg one is a Tatar women, a party member; and 33 Uezd zhenotdels have one functionary each in 18 uezds and 2 functionaries each in 11 uezds—everywhere there are Russian women and no nomads at all. The Department Heads of the Kirgiz Oblast Committee, the Gubernia Committees and the Uezd Committees have Advisory Collegiums under them.

<<Marginal text: "Total organizers in Semipalatinsk, 8; Uralsk, 6; … Aktiubinsk, 1; Bukeevsk, 2 Kirgiz C.">>

In addition to strengthening the staffs of the zhenotdels in the provinces, the Oblast Zhenotdel has to face the painful, nightmarish question of how it will now conduct work among women in the indigenous Kirgiz population, how it will breathe life into the Kirgiz working women who have been dormant for centuries in the chains of ignorance and the yoke of bais [rich landowners] and embrace them with their work.

The target of the party organization's work in general in the Kirgiz SSR is the multitribal, politically and economically extremely backward and culturally ignorant population. For example, according to 1920 statistics the Kirgiz SSR has a total of 2,229,310 Kirgiz

men: 1,181,120

women: 1,048,190

Great Russians, total: 1,657,988

men: 753,061

women: 900,927

Ukrainians, total: 640,388

men: 302,831

women 337,557

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Tatars, total: 120,037

men: 57,551

women: 62,486

Germans, total: 32,760

men: 30,407

women: 32,353

Mordvins, total: 31,721

men: 14,479

women: 17,242

Belorussians, total: 5,581

men: 2,778

women: 3,073

Poles, total: 5,766

men: 3,050

women: 2,716

Jews, total: 5,199

men: 2,569

women: 1,630 <<Translator: based on total, probably should be 2,630>>

Others, total: 22,240

men: 12,585

women: 22,243

Of the above, party members, total: 11,184

men: 10,468

women: 716

Russian women: 716

Kirgiz women: 9

Trade-union members, total: 59,377

men: 45,803

women: 11,318

No records kept by nationality.

The illiteracy rate among the Kirgiz population is 84.5%, which does not include children under 13 years of age and adults over 59 years of age; and literate women, although I do not have exact statistical records, I can say that there are not more than 200 of them among the entire Kirgiz population.

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The economic situation of the Kirgiz SSR and the role of Kirgiz women.

The unproductive soil, continental climate and sparse irrigation of Kirgiz Krai account for the fact that the primary occupation of the Krai's population is animal husbandry. Arable farming at the level of an exclusive occupation does not exist in a single place in the Krai.

Although the subsurface of the Kirgiz territory is abundant with natural resources, their development is in an embryonic state and a lot of industry is colonized and is in the hands of Russians and Tatars.

The primary industrial activity of the Kirgiz population is producing primitively made domestic and household items, mostly from livestock products, and seasonal trades.

And it is in this industry that Kirgiz women play an enormous role: they make domestic items, care for domestic livestock, make all sorts of dairy products and produce homemade felt, rugs, camel's-hair fabric and horsehair rope, make downy shawls, etc. In addition, their labor is increased by the duties that they perform in the family in general, beginning with homemaking, right up to the duties of removing their husbands' boots from their feet. Therefore, in the simple and backward system of the Kirgiz economy women play almost the paramount role, but because of everyday legal relations they are not fully appreciated.

What are these legal relations? What is the legal status of women in society and the family?

Before Soviet rule Kirgiz life was too entangled in the persistent traditions of the clan-based way of life, which defined the conditions of communal life among Kirgiz down to the smallest details.

The institution of aqsaqalism, the "primacy of elders," in the personal relationships of Kirgiz with one another, the institution of the seniority of one clan over others, and the institution of the seniority of one 

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tribe over others, the custom of qun (payment for blood), the custom of "brokered marriages" and "kalym [bride-money] marriages" (based on purchase and sale), the institution of "levirate marriages," the transfer of a woman after her husband dies along the family line, the institution of "polygamy," these are the main factors that define the situation and everyday life of peasant women in the communal and family life of Kirgiz Krai.

One has to add to the foregoing the vastness of the territory occupied by the Kirgiz Republic, the lack of means of communications, the nomadic way of life, where one fam. from anoth. is …

and the paltry amount of communist personnel and Kirgiz functionaries characterizing the situation regarding the work of zhenotdels in Kirgizia.

This Conference has unanimously decided to regard as the top priority of zhenotdels work among the working people's masses of Kirgiz women and the necessity of directing all personnel and resources in that direction.

The work must proceed in 3 primary areas:

1) Raising the political and general cultural level of Kirgiz women by opening schools and clubs.

2) Legal protection for Kirgiz women. By clarifying decrees and … and participating in discussion.

3) Involving Kirgiz women in the economic construction of Kirgiz Krai. Raising the skills and improving the conditions of their labor.

In addition, issues of involving women in Cooperative Construction and in the trade-union movement, as well as forms of reporting and information, were worked out at this Conference.

Therefore the Conference provided direction for the entire subsequent activities of both the Oblast Zhenotdel and the provinces.

Connections with the provinces, instruction and taking local experience into account.

Without confining itself to the activities worked out at 

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the Conference, the Oblast Zhenotdel, based also on taking into account the experience in the provinces during the reporting period, sent out circular directives and sets of instructions on various issues, as well as instructional letters.

In all, 41 circular directives were sent out; 9 sets of instructions; 8 programs; 11 instructional letters, 5 plans and 3 sets of theses. of a local nature in the area of work … Kirgiz women of which 12 uezd centers for work among women 6

There have been monthly summaries, but irregularly, due to a lack of personnel, but after the delivery of information to the Org. Department (June 1923) the Oblast Zhenotdel designated a number of issues for the study of experience in the provinces regarding certain areas of work among women.

The following issues were put forth:

1. The internal work of zhenotdels, the number of meetings of Collegiums and the number of issues (by category) special Meetings, Conferences and Congresses. The other decisions adopted by zhenotdels at sessions, meetings, Conferences and Congresses (their substance).

2. Number of personnel and their composition:

a) Functionaries in zhenotdels (Gubernia and Uezd departments).

b) Volost and cell organizers.

c) Women delegates.

nature of their work: inspections, participation in campaigns, Congresses, Conferences, other Activities, etc. Nature of the work of delegate meetings of Section activities.

3. Work among women:

a) Women workers (in the city, at enterprises, on transport, etc.)

b) Housewives

c) Peasant women

d) Kirgiz women

Nature of the work of women covered by zhenotdels, work methods and actual results.

4. Methods and degree of involvement of women in items 3 a), b), c) and d), in Soviet construction, trade-union construction,

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economic bodies, Cooperatives, etc. What the women being recruited are most interested in.

5. What methods are being used in regard to the emancipation of women in general and in particular Kirgiz women.

A typical phenomenon in this area and the actual results off how the decree of the Kirgiz CEC on kalym and marriages of minors is being carried out.

6. School and study-group work.

The degree and participation in the work being done by the Agitprop Departments of the Committees, special schools and study groups (specify with reference to paragraphs A, B and C in Section III).

Based on a study of the experience of the provinces according to available information, 14 diagrams have been made.

During the first half off the reporting period there were no trips by instructors of the Oblast Zhenotdel, due to a lack of funds, but we did make use of all of the senior functionaries sent to the provinces with specific assignments, instructions and plans.

There were 25 instances of such utilization in 1922; in addition, in 1923 Oblast Zhenotdel instructors discussed 4 gubernias; in addition, directives were issued in regard to work among women to Secretaries and specific senior functionaries of the Gubernia Committees when they delivered reports at meetings of the Presidium of the Kirgiz Oblast Committee.

In all, 15 functionaries were deployed during the reporting period.

As we noted above, most of those working in the Zhenotdels are Russian comrades, who do not know the language or everyday life of the Kirgiz population; this situation confronted the Oblast Zhenotdel with the necessity of training a cadre of functionaries (at least at the raion level). The following was done in this regard: a Section was established at the Krai Soviet and Party School, from which 6 Kirgiz women, 40 Russian women and 15 Tatar women graduated.

Directives have been issued to the cell of the Rabfak [school preparing workers and peasants for higher education] to create a study group for the study of issues related to work among women. In February and March, Krai women's courses to prepare educators were opened on a joint basis with the Glavsotsvos [Main Administration of Social Education], with a capacity of 50 people, where we deliver lectures on political literacy and issues related to work among women.

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We selected the female students solely from the poorest segment of the Kirgiz population; 3 of them are party members and 10 have applied for party membership.

In the provinces, attention has been called to the use of local Soviet and party schools. In addition, in Uralsk Gubernia a Muslim study group has been created that consists of courses training functionaries for work among Kirgiz women—40 hrs.

Participation in Soviet work.

A connection to PCs was made by summoning representatives of the latter to meetings of the Collegium and to conferences to work out specific issues.

The Oblast Zhenotdel has done the most work with Soviet bodies for the international women workers' day. The department prepared a draft resolution of the CC and a whole host of circular directives through specific PCs. A good deal of work was done jointly with the PC of Justice in the area of legal protection, through which circular directives were issued that brought women into People's Courts as assessors. In all, 50 … assessors, in Bukeevsk Gubernia 29, on the registration of permitted divorce cases of Kirgiz women, in regard to implementing decrees for their emancipation; assignments have also been issued to Gubernia Prosecutors on the need to pay special attention to instruction and steadfast implementation by the People's Courts of existing decrees. An assignment was issued through the Presidium of the Kirgiz Oblast Committee to the PC of Justice to work out measures to combat "polygamy."

A representative of the Oblast Zhenotdel to the PC of Social Security was elected at the June 1923 Congress of Committees of Mutual Assistance as a full member of a Section.

The Oblast Zhenotdel took part in all of the campaigns conducted by the Children's Commission of the Kirgiz CEC in addition to the work at the sessions.

A representative of the Oblast Zhenotdel was assigned to the Kirgiz Trade Union Bureau as an instructor, the situation is not quite normal because our staff is too small to scatter it around, but the Kirgiz Trade Union Bureau has the same problem. Nevertheless, despite the weakness in general of trade union work in Kirgiz Krai due to the lack of qualified functionaries, the issues put before the Kirgiz Trade Union have always gotten a lively response.

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The worst situation was in regard to the connection with the Cooperative bodies, but recently (June) we managed to get a representative assigned to the Kirgiz TsentroSoiuz [Ts.S.; Central Union of Consumer Societies]. Through this representative, who is a Member of the Collegium of the Kirgiz Branch of the Ts.S.—a Kirgiz and a party member to boot—we restored the institution of practical activity in the provinces; he also drew up a program of discussions in the Sections of women delegates, a cafeteria and a house of peasants are opening, artels have been turned into cooperatives, only Russians, which existed before, and nursery schools have opened on transport. But there are no Kirgiz, there is no kindergarten.

Campaigns.

During the reporting period the following campaigns were conducted:

1. Re-election of women delegates.

2. Recruitment of women workers and peasants and Kirgiz working women for Soviets.

3. International Women Workers' Day, and we also participated in all of the campaigns conducted by the Agit-Prop Dept., the Sowing Campaign, the Nonparty Conference, Protection of Mothers and Infants, and others.

Delegate meetings.

Delegate meetings are the primary form of work among women, beginning only from the time the Ts.O. [Central Body] announced the campaign for re-election of women delegates, it started to become part of the system and then not everywhere, some zhenotdels (Bukeevsk, Aktiubinsk and Turgai) right up until the trip by the instructor of the Oblast Zhenotdel and providing clarification have not been able to teach themselves how to conduct delegate meetings and determine their role for themselves.

The campaign for re-election of women delegates was very successful. In the provinces, except for the designated gubernias, the zhenotdels implemented the Ts.O.'s directives, as well as the circular directives and instructions we issued. A Kirgiz-language membership card has been given to the provinces. According to available data, although incomplete, the 7 gubernias have 1385 women delegates. Of this number, there are 42 Kirgiz women according to imprecise information and 53 Russians in 1922 – there were 6 delegate meetings in 1923, and in 1922 31 general meetings … attendance rose in 1923.

A campaign is under way to eliminate illiteracy: there are a total of 9 schools, --Russian and 9 Kirgiz.

<<Marginal note: "This campaign primarily covered Kirgiz women">>

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Political-education work is also improving, thanks to the absence of City Soviets and their weakness. There are no Sections under the City Soviets. We have issued 151 directives and discussion programs in the provinces, but so far there have been no results regarding the creation of Sections at the delegate meetings themselves.

<<Marginal note: "1) Protection of Moth. 2) Soc. Educ. 3) Soviet law 4) Cooperatives 5) Trade unions">>

Campaign for re-election to the Soviets

Until 1922 Kirgizia did not have a single female member on Soviets, so considering the entire abnormality of this situation the Oblast Zhenotdel called serious attention to the campaign for re-election to the Soviets in '22 and '23. The Kirgiz Oblast issued a circular directive well in advance on the necessity of taking measures to recruit women workers and peasants, especially Kirgiz women, for the Soviets. The result was gratifying:

Those elected in Aktiubinsk Gubernia included Russian … Kirg … Semipalatinsk … and Tatar women … Orenburg Gubernia … and Tatar women … Uralsk Gub. … and Tatar women …

There is no information from the remaining gubernias.

In all, there are 56 gubernias, of which 10 are Kir.

Kirgiz CEC 4

Russian women 1

Kirgiz women 2

Tatar women 1

At the All-Kirgiz Congress there were 15 of whom 14 are Kirgiz and 1 Tatar

At the All-Kirgiz Congress 2

Russian women 1

Kirgiz women 1

Preparatory work has begun for participation in the '28 re-election of the Soviets

International Women Workers' Day

Circular directives and slogans for 8 March were issued to the provinces in good time, pointing to the necessity of involving the broad masses of Kirgiz women in the 8 March celebration.

Drafts of the relevant resolutions were submitted to various Soviet bodies as a result […] we have the resolution of the presidium of the Kirgiz CEC from February through the following

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PCs:

To the Industrial Bureau of the Vesenkha [Supreme Council of the National Economy]—To establish under the department of Vocational-Technical Education a Section for the study of the question of women's labor in industry today:

To Glavpolitprosvet [Main Political Education Committee]: a) Open a network of support centers for the elimination of women's illiteracy, especially specific Kirgiz women's centers.

b) To train Kirgiz women workers for work among women, open special women's Divisions at the Krai Soviet and Party School with a capacity of 50 people.

<<The text from the words "Glavpolitprosvet" to "50 people" is marked off with a bracket. Marginal note: "Did not pass Stage II.">>

To the PC of Justice: Allocate through legislation to the fund of Glavpolitprosvet the entire amount and property sought by the courts of the Kirgiz SSR by means of fines and confiscations for violating decrees prohibiting kalym and in general all laws in the area of the emancipation of Kirgiz women (in order to carry out immediate, urgent tasks) the opening of schools, clubs and other cultural and educational institutions among the Kirgiz population.

To the PC of Agriculture: a) Verify fulfillment of the instructions issued for 8 March 1923.

b) Open courses on dairy farming, poultry breeding and other subjects.

To the Central Commission for Famine Response: In the area of combating unemployment—induce the relevant economic and land-management bodies to pay attention to the artels of unemployed women that already exist, to improve and expand them and to organize new labor and agricultural artels, designating collective farms as vital centers.

To all Gubernia and Uezd Executive Committees: In the area of protection of mothers and infants, especially among the Kirgiz population:

a) To transfer to the Fund of the PC of Health the portion of fines collected during the fight against moonshine, which except for the allocation for the discoverers and the Militia are put at the general disposal of the Executive Committees, to establish nursery schools, to open maternity clinics (especially in Kirgiz areas).

b) In areas of nomads, to establish a network of traveling obstetricians, for which the PC of Health is to open a Division for the training of obstetricians, specifically Kirgiz, as part of courses for obstetricians and physicians' assistants.

c) To take a highly active role in conducting the forthcoming Mothers and Infants Week and designate a high-level representative for the Commission.

In the area of protection of mothers and infants, to open Krai Consulting Offices.

In the area of combating prostitution:

To the PC of Social Security: To strengthen work in involving women in the Mutual Assistance Committee.

To the PC of Health: a) To strengthen the popularization of knowledge of public health; b) to widely propagate among the population the correct view of venereal diseases and clarify their importance in the life of an individual and the whole society; c) to properly organize hygiene in schools, paying special attention to sexual hygiene in the upper grades; d) to wage a fight against pornography in all forms; e) to conduct sports in school and organized groups as one of the foundations of physical fitness; f) to properly organize preventive-medical and physical examinations of pupils, Red Army soldiers and other organized population groups; g) to properly organize the treatment of patients with venereal disease; h) to keep meticulous statistics on venereal diseases.

To all Soviet state institutions.

1. In the area of collectivizing the everyday life of workers:

The collectivization of the everyday life of workers must be concentrated in workers' areas:

a) To reach agreement with Cooperatives on advance payments of funds for cafeterias, bakeries, laundries, workshops for the sewing

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 and mending of underwear, etc. and to promote their opening on the basis of share and membership dues, long-term loans, etc.;

b) To recommend to Trade Unions that they enter into collective agreements with economic bodies on the establishment of nursery schools, orphanages, dormitories, etc., and to require economic bodies to subsidize Workers' Cooperatives for organizing the collective everyday life of workers;

c) To focus attention on the establishment of orphanages and workers' communes;

d) Social Security Departments must require the economic bodies of suburban settlements to pay particularly serious attention to collectivizing the everyday life of workers;

e) To deem it necessary to adapt newly established Kirgiz settlements to organizing everyday life on a communal basis and to socialize women's housework by opening public cafeterias, laundries, mending and sewing workshops for clothing, underwear, etc.

f) At large enterprises it is necessary to open maternity clinics, consulting offices, milk kitchens, etc.

2. In the area of workers' insurance, to pay special attention to the proper issuance of subsidies to women workers due to temporary inability to work (pregnancy, birth, nursing period, etc.).

Since some of the above measures can be implemented only through legislation, the relevant agencies and institutions must focus without delay on taking measures to push them through the necessary legislative bodies. The rest of the measures are to be implemented through agencies.

The Kirgiz CEC has appropriated funds to open consulting offices in 7 gubernias.

The reports received from the provinces say that the campaign has been very successful everywhere. The main thing, we should note, is that the zhenotdels managed for the first time to draw Kirgiz women to meetings and rallies, which were conducted with great enthusiasm, and in addition that day was marked by a whole host of practical measures to

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improve the everyday life of women.

<<Marginal note: "Campaign Nonparty. Conf. … 6 gubernias there were a total of 55 of whom 12 Russ. and included">>

Press.

Our print trade leaves something to be desired, especially in the Kirgiz language. In 1922 we confined ourselves to issuing a whole series of articles in the Kirgiz and Russian languages to the publishing organs of the Kirgiz Oblast Committee. Since 1923 a "little page" has been published regularly, 11 in all.

In 1923 preparatory work began for the publication of Kirgiz-language brochures. There should be three of them in all.

Decrees and directives of Soviet Rule on the emancipation of Kirgiz women "Kirgiz and Soviet Rule," a "Women's Status in the Evolution of the Economy" (Translated by Kollontai).

"Little pages" are also issued in the provinces. Regularly only since 1923.

For the past month the Oblast Zhenotdel has been absorbed by preparatory work for convening the All-Kirgiz Conference of Heads of Gubernia and Uezd Zhenotdels, which will be held on 1 September. Where on file is experience of doing work of All-Kir C. Soviet will outline new prac. paths of future work

Agenda:

1. Report by Oblast Zhenotdel and prospects for its work.

2. Reports from the provinces.

3. Administrative question (in settlements, villages and cities)/

4. Issues of Agit-Prop work among women.

5. Trade unions and women workers.

6. Recruiting women workers and peasants for Cooperative Construction.

7. Joint work of Zhenotdels with RKSM [Komsomol].

8. Current issues.

Head of Oblast Zhenotdel: [signature]

1923

City of Orenburg