Alevtina Vasilyevna Fedulova (, born 14 April 1940) is a Russian political activist and former leader of the Soviet Women's Committee (later the Union of Women of Russia).

Early life

Fedulova was born on 14 April 1940, in Elektrostal, to an illiterate, yet intelligent, mother and a blacksmith father, who died when she was young. An excellent student, Fedulova wished to become a teacher as a child, but went to a local

technical school A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocationa ...

linked to a local factory. Under pressure, Fedulova's mother paid the tuition to allow her to finish at the school, enabling her to take entrance exams in Moscow for a teacher training institute there. Fedulova married at age 20, while still studying at the institute, in 1960. Her husband was conscripted to military service around the time their son was born. Upon graduation, she became a teacher of biology and chemistry. She remained as a high school teacher for ten years.

Political career

In 1963, Fedulova joined the

Communist Party of the Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),. Abbreviated in Russian as КПСС, ''KPSS''. at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (RCP), All-Union Communist Party and Bolshevik Party, and sometimes referred to as the Soviet ...

, about which she expressed some ambivalence. Fedulova later became head of the Pioneers and was the executive secretary of the Soviet Peace Committee. In 1987, she left her position to work for the Soviet Women's Committee full-time, and was elected vice-president of the organisation that same year. From 1981 until 1986, she was a member of the CPSU's Auditing Commission, and was promoted to the Central Committee in 1990. After the

dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

, Fedulova's position of power within the CPSU made many feminists sceptical. However, as leader of the Women of Russia bloc in 1993, but not affiliated to any political party in particular, she became a member of the

Duma A duma () is a Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. The term ''boyar duma'' is used to refer to advisory councils in Russia from the 10th to 17th centuries. Starting in the 18th century, city dumas were formed across Russia ...

. This resulted in 8% of the Duma belonging to the Women of Russia bloc, allowing them to form their own official faction within the Russian government.

Personal life

Fedulova is married to her husband, a former deputy sports minister, and has one son and two grandchildren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fedulova, Alevtina Living people Russian feminists Russian women's rights activists 1940 births First convocation members of the State Duma (Russian Federation) 20th-century Russian women politicians Members of the Central Auditing Commission of the 26th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Members of the Central Committee of the 28th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union