At the beginning of this year, a near-total ban on abortions came into effect in Poland. The new regulation further tightened the nation’s restrictive anti-abortion law, which was already among the strictest abortion laws in Europe. For months, thousands of people have been taking to the streets in several Polish cities to protest against the repressive abortion regulations and the ultra-conservative social policies of the ruling PiS party. The protests are led by courageous women like our guest speaker Marta Lempart, who stand up for women’s sexual self-determination and reproductive health.
What is the state of women’s rights and gender equality in Poland? What does the reactionary social policy of the ruling PiS party mean for Poland’s relations with Germany? What measures can and must the EU take to protect common European values in Poland?
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the German-Polish Neighbourhood Treaty, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom will discuss these important questions with Marta Lempart, co-initiator of the protest movement “All-Poland Women’s Strike”, and Gyde Jensen MP, Chairwoman of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid in the German Bundestag.
The event is part of the #femalechangemaker series, in which moderator Karoline Gil presents women from around the world who are fighting for freedom, human rights and democracy in their countries. The discussion will be held in English with simultaneous German translation.
With this online discussion, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Friedrich Naumann Foundation contributes to making the UN´s Agenda 2030 more known – especially regarding human rights and rule of law.
Programme
17/06/2021 (online @Zoom)
17:30 Welcome
Sonia Li Amend – Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom State Office Baden-Wuerttemberg
Discussion
- Marta Lempart – Co-initiator of the protest movement “All-Poland Women’s Strike”
- Gyde Jensen – MP Member of the German Bundestag, Chairwoman of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid in the German Bundestag
- Moderator: Karoline Gil
19:00 End of Event
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Meet the Speakers
Marta Lempart is the initator and organizer of the All-Polish Women’s Strike (Polish: Strajk Kobiet) a grassroots, nonpartisan movement spearheading the current mass protests against the near-total ban of abortions by the Polish Constitutional court. Apart from fighting for women’s rights, Marta Lempart is also advocating for equal rights for members of Poland’s LGBT community and for people with disabilities.
MP Gyde Jensen was elected to the German Bundestag as the youngest female member in 2017. She is the chairwoman of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid and serves as the FDP parliamentary group’s spokesperson on human rights and humanitarian aid.
Karoline Gil has a degree in European relations and socio-economic transformation and a longstanding experience in intercultural dialogue and the creation of multinational networks. For many years she initiates and moderates discussions with international experts.
