Support The Moscow Times!

Religious Groups Push for Russian Schools to Teach ‘Family Values’

Vladimir Filonov / MT

Under new proposals from religious groups, Russian children could soon see compulsory classes on family values added to the curriculum, the Interfax news agency reported Monday.

The plans to introduce classes on family values are backed by the Russian Orthodox organization The Sanctity of Motherhood.

The group's leader, Natalia Yakunina, told the Fruits of Faith television program that similar classes were already part of the curriculum in a number of individual Russian regions.

Read more from The Moscow Times: Inside Russia's new abortion debate

The Sanctity of Motherhood would work with the Ministry of Education to investigate rolling out the classes nationwide, she said.

Yakunina also revealed that the group wanted all pregnant women to speak to psychologists in a bid to stop them from choosing to have an abortion.

“We are optimistic about the future,” Yakunina said. “We have been able to enlist the support of the Ministry of Health, so I think we could see [these referrals] happen soon,” she said.

The country's most powerful cleric, Patriarch Kirill, called on the Russian government to stop supporting abortions in September this year.

Despite repeated calls from the church, 72 percent percent of Russians are against a total ban on abortion, a poll published by the state-run pollster VTsIOM showed in October.

More than half of respondents – 51 percent – said that poor financial conditions were the main factor driving women to undergo abortions.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more