Under the Soviet Union women were given equality which included the right to equal employment. The government provided a system of extensive social services intended to free women to enter the labor market and increase productivity, which most did. Women were provided with free health care, child care and many other benefits, such as paid maternity leave and job security for women having children. Instead of freeing women from household and family responsibilities, Soviet ideals actually added work to domestic responsibilities and created a double burden under which women continue to struggle. The current situation is even more difficult.
Employment is no longer just a right, but a necessity for both single and married women.
The limited and inadequate social services have created a daily struggle for women. A typical day starts with women taking their children to day care, a trip which often takes up to an hour on public transportation. Few day care centers are near places of employment, requiring many women to board children during the week. Moreover, most parents agree that good care is scarce and they would prefer not to leave children. From the day care center, a woman goes to her job where, although she technically has equal employment, conditions are not truly equal.