Defending Health Education from Political Attacks
In August, politicians from the Law and Justice party announced plans to challenge the new health education regulations before the Constitutional Tribunal. They also called for an interim measure preventing the regulations from taking effect on 1 September.
From the 2026/2027 school year, health education becomes a compulsory subject in Polish schools. However, sexual health has been separated from the compulsory curriculum and will remain optional.
Health education should be based on practical, evidence-based knowledge about the body, emotions and relationships, not treated as an ideological issue. Young people need reliable, science-based information about their bodies, health, emotions, relationships, boundaries and safety. Restricting access to this knowledge undermines both young people’s rights and public health.
A New Guide to Living with Endometriosis
FEDERA and The Pink Box Foundationpublished a new brochure on endometriosis, prepared in cooperation with an external medical specialist and a representative of the Polish Endometriosis Foundation “Pokonać Endometriozę”.
The new publication explains the condition in an accessible way and provides practical information for people living with endometriosis. Reliable information, timely diagnosis and access to appropriate treatment are essential elements of reproductive healthcare.
Building Safety and Assertiveness Through WenDo
FEDERA organised another free WenDo assertiveness and self-defence workshop for women and people socialised as women.
WenDo is a violence prevention method that combines psychological and physical self-defence with assertiveness and boundary-setting. Participants learn how to recognise violations, respond to them and defend their rights in different environments, including in contact with healthcare professionals.
Preventing gender-based violence also means strengthening people’s ability to recognise when their autonomy, dignity or rights are being violated and giving them practical tools to respond.
The workshop was organised with the support of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
Clarifying the Law on Fetal Asystole in Abortion Care
FEDERA published a legal opinion by Dr hab. Maria Boratyńska, Professor at the University of Warsaw, concerning the legal consequences and procedure for terminating a pregnancy to protect a woman’s health.
According to the opinion, where a pregnancy is terminated to protect a patient’s health at a stage when the fetus may already be capable of independent survival, inducing fetal asystole may be necessary to achieve the intended therapeutic outcome. The opinion explains that the medical method must correspond to the therapeutic purpose of the abortion and that its legal assessment cannot be separated from that purpose.
The publication is particularly important for both patients and medical professionals, as it helps clarify what lawful abortion care should entail and supports a better understanding of patients’ rights and providers’ responsibilities in clinical practice.
A Landmark Ruling Against Graphic Anti-Abortion Billboards
In August, the Regional Court in Wrocław ruled that graphic anti-abortion billboards displayed by the Pro – Right to Life Foundation violated personal rights. The case concerned a child who had been repeatedly exposed to graphic images in public space.
The ruling was the first of its kind in Poland, following six years of court proceedings.
FEDERA hopes that this ruling will set an important precedent for limiting the use of graphic and disturbing imagery by anti-choice groups, including outside hospitals. The case also sends a broader message that anti-abortion campaigning does not take place outside the boundaries of legal responsibility. The impact of such materials on people exposed to them, particularly children, must be taken seriously.
Mapping Abortion Access in Polish Hospitals
FEDERA launched an anonymous survey for people who had sought an abortion in a Polish hospital.
The survey collects experiences from across the country, regardless of whether the abortion was ultimately provided and whether the experience was positive or negative. Its aim is to better understand how access to lawful abortion works in practice and to provide other patients with more reliable information about where they can seek care.
Formal legal entitlement to abortion does not automatically translate into effective access. Patients continue to encounter refusals, delays, inconsistent procedures and significant differences between hospitals.
Documenting patients’ experiences helps identify these barriers, improve the information available to people seeking abortion care and strengthen FEDERA’s advocacy for effective access to lawful healthcare.
