On the fringes of the Equinet board meeting in Warsaw on 16 March, Equinet board members and staff met with key actors in the field of equality in Poland, including the Commissioner for Human Rights Adam Bodnar, the Plenipotentiary for Civil Society and Equal Treatment and representatives of civil society.
Taking advantage of our presence in Warsaw, Equinet had fruitful meetings with the Commissioner for Human Rights and civil society organisations working in the equality field in Poland. The meeting with the NGOs was organised by the Commissioner, and they described a challenging situation for equality and human rights in the country, particularly concerning the rights of women, LGBT persons and migrants. The Commissioner and the organisations also described their important work promoting equality in this challenging context, while also experiencing substantial political and financial challenges to their work.
On 17 March the Equinet Chair, Ms. Evelyn Collins, accompanied by a representative of the Polish Commissioner for Human Rights and the Equinet Secretariat, also met with Minister Adam Lipinski, the Polish Government Plenipotentiary for Civil Society and Equal Treatment. The Plenipotentiary presented his work coordinating all initiatives and proposing actions within the Government that have a relevance for equality and non-discrimination issues. Some of the initiatives mentioned relate to work-life balance, healthcare for older persons, challenging violence against women and the gender pay gap. Minister Lipinski underlined the Government’s commitment to equal treatment and expressed his willingness to meet and cooperate with the Polish Commissioner for Human Rights.
Author: EQUINET/Office of the Ombudswoman.
