Disability in Poland

Disabled people protest outside parliament demanding Polish government fulfil pre-election promise:

“The group’s main demand is that the so-called “social pension”, which is paid to people who are unable to work for health reasons and currently stands at 1,781 zloty (€413) per month, is raised to the level of the minimum wage, which is currently 4,242 zloty (€983) gross per month.” (2024, Notes from Poland)

People with Disabilities Push for Access to Personal Assistance “Last Saturday, dozens of people dressed in black carried a coffin through the streets of Warsaw to the presidential palace.” (2023, Human Rights Watch)

Disabled in Poland: “Organisations representing disabled people in Poland have renewed their protests to demand more financial help and better care from the state.” (2023, Reporting Democracy)

Disabled people begin protest in Polish parliament seeking rise in benefits to level of minimum wage. (2023, Notes from Poland)

Views Of Life Interview with Dorota Krać. Polish Association of the Blind (PZN). (2023, EBU)

Protest of Polish disabled people in the Parliament Demands to increase social pension. (2023, Poland Daily Live)

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Survey report on 10 principles for successfully employing people with disabilities A mixture of experiences of disabled people, employers, and guidance for businesses to become more inclusive. (link to pdf, 2021, TAKpelnosprawni)

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Remembering Anna Drabarz, Polish disability champion. (Mar, EDF)

Polish Senator and Disability Rights Defender Marek Plura passed away. (2023, EDF)

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Overview

We are talking to you: “The procedure for granting the right to a carer's benefit sounds more like a description of persecution than an example of supporting citizens in a difficult situation. [...] Contact with social workers and center directors is like traveling back in time at least 30 years ago.” (In Polish, translation by Google, 2023, Krytyka)

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Conditions in Institutions

Horror Behind Closed Doors of Polish Residential Institution. “Women and Girls with Intellectual Disabilities Beaten, Tied, and Locked in Caged Bed” (2022, Human Rights Watch)

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Making Polish nature accessible for people with disabilities. (A short video, Feb, DW)

What if I were to take your place a short advertisement that starts of sexy and ends up... well you'll have to watch it for the twist. (2022) See some background on Red Pepper.

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Evacuating or Leaving Ukraine

Regional social protection overview For Ukrainian refugees who have temporary protection in six host countries: Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. (2023, Acaps)

Poland’s superior services offer a new life and big dilemmas for a Ukrainian girl with a disability. “In Warsaw, a six-year-old with cerebral palsy can get care that her mother struggled to find in Ukraine, even before the war.” (2023, The Globe and Mail)

Critical concerns facing older Ukrainian refugees in Poland “Only 8 per cent of the 382 older Ukrainian refugees surveyed are able to pay their medical bills in full.” (2023, HelpAge)

Profile of Mudita Association and its support to refugees with disabilities. (2023, Borgen Magazine)

Post Distribution Monitoring for Targeted Cash Assistance for Ukrainian Refugees. Of the recipients “48% of them were persons with disabilities, 30% were people 60-years-old or above, and 22% were legal caretakers of person(s) with disability.” (2023, Relief Web)

‘We long for home - but our son has chances here’: “their eldest son Roman, who has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, has been given the chance to go to school for the first time. He is 20 years old.” See also a video feature. (2022, BBC)

Situation analysis on the assistive technology needs of Ukrainian people in Poland. (2022, WHO)

Interview with Autism-Poland Association on the situation on the border with Ukraine (2022, EDF)

Special assistance is needed for some refugees on those with disabilities arriving in Poland (in Polish, 2022, Rzeczpospolita)

Poland representative stated that mong the over million Ukrainians who arrived fleeing the war, 100,000 are with disabilities, mostly children. They are arriving without basic assistive technologies like wheelchairs, canes, etc. Poland is trying to find Ukrainian sign language interpreters, develop accessibility and support. (2022, Alejandro Moledo) Polish rehabilitation centres are offering their services for free.

War refugees with disabilities in Poland - situation, support, needs. Links to this page with a list of resource organizations in Polish. (2022, Inclusion Europe)

Ukrainian families with disabilities get new chance “Ukrainian families are finding better opportunities for their children with disabilities in Poland. Local volunteer organizations help them on their journey to adapt to their new life.” (2022, DW)

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