Russia is contemplating reducing the minimum working age to 12 and resurrecting labor camps reminiscent of the Soviet era to address the escalating job crisis in the country. Olga Yaroslavskaya, the children’s rights commissioner in Moscow, has suggested this significant change to engage children in work activities during school holidays. She emphasized that the majority of children are eager to work, particularly during the summer break.
Yaroslavskaya argued that these camps would not only offer employment opportunities but also provide structure for teenagers, especially those whose parents cannot afford to keep them at home during the holidays. She expressed confidence that reintroducing labor camps is a practical solution that children would support.
Under Russia’s existing labor laws, children can start working at the age of 14 with parental consent and can independently enter into labor agreements at 15. Yaroslavskaya highlighted the desire of teenagers aged 12 and above to work during the summer and advocated for changes in federal labor legislation to allow children to undertake part-time work and earn some money.
Reflecting on her own positive experience, Yaroslavskaya mentioned working in a Soviet youth camp during the summer, where she engaged in tasks like weeding tomatoes in extreme heat. Russian President Vladimir Putin is keen to address the growing workforce shortage, attributed to economic sanctions and the impact of the conflict in Ukraine, as the country now requires around 1.5 million new workers to fill the labor gap.
The workforce crisis has been exacerbated by the emigration of approximately 1 million young professionals who left Russia to avoid conscription following the invasion. Additionally, Russia has suffered significant military losses in the war, with estimates suggesting casualties of around 1.5 million troops in Ukraine.
Yaroslavskaya’s attempt to tackle the impending employment crisis is one of several measures the Russian government is considering. The Ministry of Education in Moscow has introduced a compulsory summer reading list for schoolchildren that celebrates the ongoing war and honors soldiers involved in the conflict in Ukraine.
Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov emphasized the inclusion of patriotic literature in the reading list, focusing on themes related to the homeland and the valor of contemporary defenders, including those participating in the special military operation.
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