FEDERA Foundation for Women and Family Planning

The Foundation for Women and Family Planning (formerly the “Federation…”, hence FEDERA) is a non-governmental organization that has been advocating for reproductive justice since 1991. It was founded as an alliance of five organizations: the League of Polish Women, the Polish Feminist Association, the Pro Femina Association, Neutrum – the Association for a Secular State, and the Young Women’s Christian Association of Poland (Y.W.C.A.). Since 1999, the Federation has held consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). As of 2022, we operate not as an association but as an independent foundation.

FEDERA advocates for reproductive health and rights, including:

FEDERA's programs:

Mission

The mission of the Foundation is to advocate for fundamental human rights, particularly the right of women to decide if and when to have children. FEDERA believes that the ability to exercise this right is essential for women’s self-determination and a prerequisite for equal life opportunities between women and men.

We fulfill our mission through:

Team

Krystyna Kacpura

PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD

A graduate of the University of Warsaw (Faculty of Neophilology) and the Higher School of Economics. She completed postgraduate studies in foreign service at the Institute of International Affairs. A scholarship holder of the Kościuszko Foundation in New York. Associated with Federa for over 30 years.
Author and co-author of numerous reports, analyses and articles on reproductive health and rights. Actively active at the UN as an advocate for women’s rights. Member of the Women’s Congress and the European Society for Contraception and Reproductive Health.

Initiator and founder of the FEDERA Health Center. Currently, she serves as the president of the FEDERA Foundation for Women and Family Planning.
Lecturer at Gender Studies IBL PAN.

Kamila Ferenc

VICE-PRESIDENT, PROGRAM CONSULTANT, COORDINATOR OF STRATEGIC LITIGATION AND LEGAL ACTIONS

Attorney, member of the Warsaw Bar Association, judge of the State Tribunal. Graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw. She completed the EU Gender Equality Law practitioners’ seminar at the Academy of European Law in Trier and the Women’s Human Rights Training Institute. She gained her professional experience at the Office of the Constitutional Tribunal, the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights and law firms. Member of the team for improving women’s safety at the Minister of Health. Author of courses, trainings and drafts of legal acts, consultant to parliamentary committees. Co-founder of the Foundation Against Rape Culture. In 2014–2016 Ambassador of the Commissioner for Human Rights.

In her professional work, she deals in particular with human rights, the rule of law, social justice, reproductive health, patient rights, counteracting domestic and sexual violence and discrimination.

Marta Paczkowska

VICEPRESIDENT, COORDINATOR OF PUBLISHING, EVENTS, AND WEBSITES

She began her social activism by combating misogyny, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia in her school environment. A graduate of the XIII High School in Szczecin and of cultural studies (American Studies Center) at the University of Warsaw. She gained professional experience at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, followed by roles at the Association of Polish Communes of the Pomerania Euroregion and the Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Szczecin.

Having been part of FEDERA since January 2017, she has since coordinated the ASTRA Youth network, office operations, and the organization’s promotion and communications. Since 2023, she has served as the Vice President of the Foundation’s Management Board, overseeing publishing activities and website management. She is also responsible for administration and event organization.

A lover of cats, archaeology, astronomy, and her hometown—Szczecin.

Antonina Lewandowska

NATIONAL ADVOCACY COORDINATOR

A sociologist, activist, researcher, PhD student at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences at the University of Warsaw. A graduate of the Leadership, communication and policy skills development course at the University of Cambridge. Creator of the position of consultant on sexual violence in the Board of the Student Government of the University of Warsaw, which she held in 2019-2022. For her activities for women’s rights, she was awarded the Women’s Champion of the Year (2022) and the Tadeusz Mazowiecki Award (2022).

Scientifically interested mainly in the sociology of sexuality and the sociology of medicine, in her professional activity she focuses on the fight for reproductive rights in Poland. Associated with FEDERA since 2019.

Mateusz Bieżuński

COORDINATOR OF INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY

A lawyer. Joined the Foundation in 2022. Member of the advocacy and legal teams. Responsible for international activities.

Julia Karwan-Jastrzębska

COORDINATOR OF PROMOTION AND COMMUNICATION

A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and the Faculty of Artes Liberales at the University of Warsaw. Since 2015, she has been involved in human rights – especially women’s rights – in her professional and artistic practice. A graduate of the Leadership Academy course (2014) organized by Soroptimist International. She cooperates with the third sector (including the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Przypływ Kultury Foundation), book publishers (Krytyka Polityczna, Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal, Wydawnictwo Egmont, Arkady, Scholar). Coordinated volunteer work for refugees from Ukraine (Central Railway Station in Warsaw, March-April 2022). Communication coordinator at the FEDERA Foundation since February 2023.

Ewa Szymera

COORDINATOR OF FUNDRAISING, PROJECTS, AND THE ASTRA NETWORK

Co-founder of the “Pink Box” initiative, working to combat menstrual exclusion and provide access to menstrual products for women and girls in Poland. Specializes in fundraising, intersectoral cooperation and implementation of international initiatives for women’s rights.

Graduate of the University of Vienna, participant of Amnesty International programs.

Justyna Faszcza

LAWYER

A graduate in Law, and Applied Sociology and Social Anthropology from the University of Warsaw, as well as, most recently, in Psychology at SWPS University. From the very beginning of her academic and professional path, she has been involved in issues related to human rights, medical law, and patients’ rights. She has gained experience in non-governmental organizations, law firms, Polish public institutions, and the European Commission.

Marcelina Kurzyk-Olędzka

COORDINATOR OF EDUCATION, COUNSELING, AND THE PONTON GROUP

Sexual and health educator. She authors and co-authors educational materials for the FEDERA Foundation and acts as a consultant in sex education and reproductive health. She is especially passionate about contraception, pregnancy, reproductive health, and gynecological issues. She provides support via email and phone through the Trust Line and runs educational workshops for children, teens, and adults with the PONTON Group. She holds a Master’s in Criminology and a Bachelor’s in Social Prevention and Resocialization (legal-criminological specialization) from the University of Warsaw. Her experience as a juvenile probation officer strengthened her skills in working with youth and addressing their educational and developmental needs.

Aleksandra Magryta

COORDINATOR OF MONITORING AND THE GREAT COALITION FOR EQUALITY AND CHOICE

A Germanist and women’s rights expert. A graduate of the Domestic Violence Prevention Institute. She is an anti-discrimination trainer and a certified WenDo self-defense and assertiveness trainer. She has worked with social organizations, including the Feminoteka Foundation and the Association Against Homophobia. She is a member of the Anti-Discrimination Education Society and the NGO Trainers Association. She joined the FEDERA team in 2019.

Julia Borkowska

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

Psychologist and psychotraumatologist. She works in private practice, providing trauma therapy primarily to individuals from marginalized groups. She is a support line worker at FEDERA and a WenDo trainer—teaching feminist self-defense for people socialized as women. She has long been involved in the non-governmental sector, previously working at Amnesty International. At FEDERA, she handles HR matters and supports the President in daily tasks.

Council

Małgorzata Księżopolska

Aleksandra Solik

Paulina Trojanowska

Anna Orawiec

Ewa Pytka

Documents

2023-2028 Strategic Plan

Annual reports

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018