Katarzyna Kotula at the Women’s Congress: either we will deliver on human rights issues, or the right wing will sweep us off the table

Women’s Congress starting on Saturday in the Ergo Arena hall on the border of Gdansk and SopotSunday is the second and final day of the event.

Several hundred participants took part, including: the leaders of Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia, the marshal of the Senate Małgorzata Kidawa-Błoska or Danuta Wałęsa. According to the organizers, nearly 300 people accepted the invitation to the Congress as panelists. 60 panels, 70 stands, five exhibitions and 30 workshops were organised.

The slogan of this year’s Congress is “The World According to Women”.

Danuta Wałęsa received the award of the 16th Congress of Women on Sunday afternoon.

– This is a very good meeting, because we are not treating this meeting as a celebration, but in fact there are a lot of work discussions. We design applications. It is with great regret that I have to say that we put together 100 requests 16 years ago. And unfortunately, only a few of them were implemented – said the co-organizer of the event, prof. Magdalena roda.

As she said, “this time Congress is coming with three strong bills.” – These are equalities on electoral lists, this is the Act on equal pay for equal work and this is the Act on quotas in boards of directors – she said. – We are always fighting for women’s reproductive rights. We are always fighting for equal education. We deal with economics, economics and international affairs, said Środa.

On Sunday, a panel was held with the participation of three members of the government: Katarzyna Kotula (ministers for equality), Barbara McKay (minister of national education) and Hanna Wróblewska (minister of culture and national heritage).

Kotula said the danger to the government is “an attempt to remove human rights aspects.” In her opinion, the greatest pressure is placed on the ministry of force, especially when “we are talking about the war in Ukraine or when there is instability in the Middle East. ” She emphasized that the government’s job is to fulfill all promises in the field of human rights and law. – Either we will overcome these issues, or in three years the right wing will sweep us out – she said.

She said that the coalition agreement, which – as she said – was “born in pain”, did not include the decriminalization of abortion and civil partnerships. She explained that two government projects on registered partnerships and an introductory act were prepared. Kotula pointed out that regarding LGBTQ rights, “we are going in the right direction. ” – My job is to bring the bill through the​​​​​​Sejm and the Senate. Whether the president signs it, she announced.

When asked about the promises that have been fulfilled so far, Nowacka pointed to the separation of school boards from parties, the reduction of the core curriculum, and the hiring of more psychologists in schools. She said teachers’ salaries had increased. She assured that health education will be introduced from the next school year. – There will not be a strange topic “education for family life”, but there will be proper health education, about mental and sexual life, diet, exercise and basic medical care – she announced. And she reminded that from September 1, 2025, there will be an hour of religion in the schools.

Wróblewska, in turn, said that his ministry managed to “put an end to propaganda in the public media.” – There is no longer this false propaganda that increases blood pressure and spoils public debate – she said. She said that the act on social security for artists “is in its final stages”. She also pointed to the renewal of competitions for directorships in cultural institutions as a success. – If there are no competitions, then in a very obvious way – she said.