Women in Estonia


Women in Estonia are women who were born in, who live in, or are from Estonia in Europe.

Politics

Estonian women first gained the right to vote from Russia's Provisional Government in 12 April 1917 together with Estonia being granted a national autonomy as a unified entity.

Fertility

Between 1970 and 1990, the total fertility rate. After giving birth and during maternity leave, working Estonian women received full monthly income for up to 15 months ; non-working women who gave birth received a monthly subsidy equivalent to US$200.00. The TFR slightly recovered in the subsequent years, but fluctuated by year, and continued to remain below the replacement rate. As in many other European countries, the link between marriage and fertility has been weakened during the past decades: most children today are born outside of marriage. The average age of mothers at first birth in 2014 was 26.6 years.

Religion

In the past, according to Estonian mythology, the ancient women of Estonia believed in the female deity and protector of pregnant women in labor known as Rõugutaja.
First woman cleric Laine Villenthal was ordinated in 1967 by Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.