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Russia

No home - no help

07/06/2006: A formal residency permit, the so-called propiska, is vital in Russia. It enables citizens to obtain their constitutional civic and social rights. Without it, one does not exist formally. If you lose your house or flat, you lose your propiska.

© Ditte Bjerregaard

Without the propiska, the formal registration of residence, you have no rights in Russia.

When losing the propiska, people are cut off from official participation in Russian society and cannot apply for work, vote or get access to health services and social benefits. This is happening to many Russians at the moment. Many make for the larger cities in search of a better life and upon moving, they lose their propiska.

Most prisoners lose their propiska while they are in jail. This means that they have no place to live when they are released and no chance of getting a job, forcing them to live on the streets. With empty pockets and no place to go, it is hard to stay out of crime.

Putting pressure on the authorities

The Russian authorities hardly do anything to help the many homeles people. DanChurchAid's local partners provide legal and social assistance to the homeless and they participate in a network of local NGO's thhat are putting pressure on the authorities to add the rights of homeless people to the political agenda.