Contributed by Artur Czerwinski, Poland National VAW Monitor 
Last updated: September 5, 2006

The EU Accession process resulted in a few changes in Polish legal system concerning equal status of women and men. The most important legislative change relevant to counteraction of violence against women was a new law on domestic violence. The Counteraction Violence in Close Relations Bill was enacted on November 21, 2005.

A Government Plenipotentiary for Equal Status of Women and Men was appointed in October 2001 to assist in guaranteeing equal status and opportunities for women and men in all spheres of life. The Council of Ministers adopted a regulation in June 2002 to strengthen the role of the Plenipotentiary.

From 2001 to 2005, the office of Government Plenipotentiary efficiently worked towards counteracting discrimination by introducing legislative changes, encouraging public discourse on equal status, and successfully completing projects funded by the European Union.

However, after the parliamentary elections of September 2005, which were won by the right-wing parties, the new government issued an ordinance which ended the existence of the position of the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Equal Status of Men and Women. Formally, the competences of the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Equal Status of Men and Women have been transferred to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. As a consequence, the situation is less clear and tasks less well defined.