Committee of Soviet Women

a social organization of Soviet women established to unify the efforts of the women of the USSR and foreign countries in the common struggle for peace and security among nations. It was founded in September 1941 (until 1956 it was the Antifascist Committee of Soviet Women). The committee includes representatives of the republics, oblasts, and various cities of the USSR and representatives of the country’s professional and cooperative organizations. The directing body is an annually convened plenum. The primary orientation of the committee is determined by the goals of the international democratic women’s movement. The committee was one of the founding organizations of the Soviet Peace Fund, of which it is currently an active member. Since 1945 it has belonged to the Women’s International Democratic Federation.

Through the committee Soviet women express their desire for peace and mutual understanding among peoples and their solidarity with the women of foreign countries against all acts of aggression and with the fighters for democracy and social progress. Committee members provide aid to the women’s organizations of developing countries. The Committee of Soviet Women maintains friendly ties with the progressive women’s organizations of 120 countries. The chairwomen of the committee have been V. S. Grizodubova (1941–45), N. V. Popova (1945–68), and V. V. Nikolaeva-Tereshkova (since 1968). In 1973 the committee was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples. In collaboration with the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, the committee publishes the journal Sovetskaia zhenshchina (Soviet Woman) in ten languages.