Demonstrations by feminist organizations, under the umbrella MANIFA organisation, have been held in five major cities across Poland.

Women activists joined by their male supporters in Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow, Torun and Wroclaw are campaigning for a wider discussion on women’s rights, their role in economic, cultural and political life as well as on problems relating to discrimination against women, especially by employers.

The demonstration in Gdansk was held under the motto “In solidarity against exploitation of women”.

The protesters voiced conviction that though women constitute more than half of the population, their interests are marginalized and disregarded by a largely male elite. If this be changed, women could then positively influence public life since their priorities and values are often different from than that of men – they argued in speeches and distributed pamphlets.

MANIFA participants in Krakow have been demanding the adoption of the European Charter For Equality Of Men and Women In Local Life by the municipal authorities.

They also demand increased availability of places in nurseries and kindergartens to enable mothers a quicker return to work.

Demonstrators in Torun took to their bikes accompanied by children and pets in a family atmosphere under the slogan “Activism doesn’t’t bite”.

Those gathered for the MANIFA protest in Wroclaw presented a list of institutions and officials who have abandoned or even opposed the introduction of equality policy, giving them a “red warning card”.  

Last year the government passed legislation requiring political parties to contain at least 30 percent of women on election lists, in an attempt to increase the participation of women in the political sphere. (ss/pg)