Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Poland pledges to support the prevention of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence within the framework of Polish humanitarian aid and development assistance. This includes provision of support for victims of conflict-related sexual violence who apply for international protection in Poland. Poland will undertake efforts at international forums aiming at assuring accountability of perpetrators for acts of conflict-related sexual violence and strengthen the prevention efforts and the fight against impunity of peacekeepers who commit SEA.
In the process of implementing its NAP, Poland focuses mainly on women’s protection against CRSV.
This work is done with the support of UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, and through bilateral cooperation.
On August 24, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a meeting of the Interministerial Team for the implementation of the National Action Plan on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. “The implementation of the objectives of the National Action Plan is carried out in 18 areas related to, inter alia, participation of women in foreign missions and operations, increasing the number of women in uniformed services and in the foreign service, supporting victims of sexual violence in armed conflicts, training on the Agenda and activities involving the involvement of Polish scientists and students in the implementation of the Agenda. The implementation of the activities listed in the document is financed from the budgets of the ministries involved in it.”
Peacekeeping: Ensure the inclusion of topics related to the protection and support of the victims of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence in pre-deployment training for missions and operations abroad, also for senior management and commanding staff, and in trainings for people who are interested in participating in such missions and operations.
Poland supports family support centres in Ukraine, which provide medical care services that benefit women to a large extent.
Support is also provided to women victims who apply for refugee status in Poland.
Updated guidelines have been produced for border guides, that present explicitly how to address the needs of sexual violence survivors.
In 2020, training activities will continue for peacekeepers, police officers as well as border guides.
Challenges: Women’s limited representation in the army and in government in general is an obstacle to WPS implementation. The army is essentially a male domain with 7% of women and a male leadership. In the government, four to five women lead ministries that are associated traditionally with gender roles (social policies, education…). As a result, political priorities are not on WPS or women’s rights in general.