Poland’s Controversial New Legislation Puts Children’s Rights at Risk

Proposed Law in Poland Threatens Children’s Rights and Curtails Non-Governmental Groups

The ruling Law and Justice party in Poland has recently proposed legislation – “Protect Children, Support Parents” – that would severely limit children’s rights to education, health, and information. According to Human Rights Watch, if the bill becomes a law, it would compromise comprehensive sexuality education and restrict access to schools for non-governmental organizations, which provide reliable information on the subject. This latest move by the Polish government aims to curb the so-called “sexualization of children” that is believed to arise from the work done by these organizations. However, experts believe that this would result in children rarely learning about their bodies, reproductive health, or consensual relationships.

Restricting the role of non-governmental organizations could endanger the health and safety of children. Comprehensive sexuality education is crucial for preventing adolescent pregnancy, maternal mortality, and HIV, while also promoting healthy relationships. Current national curriculum materials contain harmful misinformation suffused with discriminatory stereotypes rather than providing evidence-based sex education, which can be addressed by non-governmental organizations. The national curriculum, known as “Preparation for Family Life,” promotes abstinence-only education and provides misleading information about reproductive health and sexuality.

Nongovernmental organizations are essential in providing comprehensive sex education to students. The new amendment would create multiple hurdles for NGOs and teachers, making it excessively challenging for Polish schools to address topics of sexual orientation, gender identity, and reproductive rights. Moreover, the legislation would require the approval of the principal and parents’ council (a body representing parents of the school’s students) before any NGO enters the school. Even if NGOs pass these new restrictions, the draft amendment still contains a vague and alarming definition of “sexualization of children,” which could make information on reproductive health, sexuality, and LGBT people’s lives illegal in Polish schools.

The proposed bill is not the first concerning legislation threatening sexuality education in Poland. Earlier versions were vetoed by the President after significant protests from students, teachers, and civil society groups. However, this time, PiS party members have collected 100,000 signatures that enable them to introduce the bill without requiring a public consultation period. It is important to note that since coming to power in 2015, PiS has continued to attack sexual and reproductive health rights, LGBT rights, and human rights defenders.

Through its efforts to push for the new amendment, PiS has used rhetoric surrounding “protecting families” and curbing the “sexualization of children” to further foster anti-LGBT and anti-choice sentiment, as well as smear human rights defenders. Its leaders accuse organizations that provide sex education of corrupting children morally and threatening traditional families. Moreover, PiS’s current bill shares many similarities with a proposal by the Minister of Education Przemysław Czarnek, which would criminalize anyone providing sexuality education or information, potentially leading to long prison sentences. Since its introduction, the initiative has been met with protests across the country from concerned citizens and human rights defenders.

In conclusion, children’s rights and inclusive, informative education should be a priority for governments, including the Polish government. States should promote scientifically-accurate information and recognize children’s rights to age-appropriate sex and reproductive health education, based on scientific evidence. Such education helps promote adolescent health and prevent early pregnancy, maternal mortality, and HIV. Restricting access to the sources that provide comprehensive sex education is a dangerous and irresponsible action that the Polish government and any other government should not promote.

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