Poland Children’s rights 2nd NAP
2. Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy
Activities under the European Social Fund
[page 7]
“Another area in which ESF+ support will be implemented is care for the youngest children. Ensuring greater availability of care facilities for children below the age of three is one of the key instruments influencing the professional situation of parents and carers, especially women, who are most often responsible for childcare. Increasing the reach of care institutions therefore has a positive impact on the issue of equal opportunities in the labour market. For this reason, ESF+ resources will be used to finance establishment and operation of nurseries, child clubs and day carers as well as activities ensuring high quality of care (such as trainings for personnel of care institutions).”
3. Ministry of Economic Development and Technology
Implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2030 Agenda)
[page 14]
“The scope of the [new regulation specifying technical and construction conditions for buildings] regulation will include, among others, the introduction of provisions aimed at facilitating access to buildings and related facilities by persons with various types of disabilities, which will certainly exert an additional positive impact on other social groups such as older persons, carers with young children or persons with temporary motor dysfunctions.”
4. Ministry of Family and Social Policy
The first Polish Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030
[page 17]
“The third stage of the process will be to ‘ensure universal availability of basic services in areas such as education and training, employment, housing, health care and transport to all children and adults in need of support’.”
Development programme for care institutions for children under the age of three TODDLER+
[page 20]
“Care institutions for children below the age of three are one of the tools enabling employees to combine private and professional life. The instrument which increases their territorial and financial availability is the Ministry’s programme for the development of childcare institutions for children under the age of three TODDLER+. It is announced annually, starting from 2011 (annual programme). The programme allows for co-financing of two types of activities:
a) establishment of new care facilities,
b) operation of care facilities.
Since 2011, approximately 56,500 facilities have been established with the funds obtained from the programme, including 37,400 facilities in 2017-2019. It is estimated that about 17,200 care facilities will be established with the funds of the ‘TODDLER+’ 2020 programme. Moreover, according to the results of the competition of ‘TODDLER+’ 2021 edition, the funds earmarked for the establishment of care facilities will make it possible to create about 25,000 such facilities. The programme is to be continued in the coming years.”
12. Public Procurement Office
The new Public Procurement Law (Journal of Laws of 2021, items 1129 and 1598)
[page 32]
“The new Public Procurement Law, which came into force on 1 January 2021 (Journal of Laws of 2021, items 1129 and 1598) introduces changes both in terms of existing instruments of a social nature, as well as completely new solutions aimed at increasing the extent to which social aspects are taken into account in the public procurement.
Among the new solutions in the Public Procurement Law, which – in addition to the regulations already existing in this respect – are aimed at supporting the implementation of social policy objectives within the framework of public procurement, the following, inter alia, should be mentioned:
(…)
• Article 104 on the possibility of direct reference by the contracting body to a specific label in the description of the subject-matter of the contract, the description of the contract award criteria or in the contract performance requirements in order to highlight the specific characteristics of the contract (including social ones). Labels by means of which contracting bodies may specify requirements connected with the pursuit of social objectives in the description of the subject-matter of the contract, the contract award criteria and the contract performance requirements, in the criteria on which their award to certain products and services is based, refer, inter alia, to compliance with social and economic rights, such as guaranteeing adequate remuneration for work, protecting women’s rights and combating discrimination against them (equal pay, participation in decision-making), prohibition of forced labour and non-use of child labour, freedom of association, health and safety at work, contribution to the development of local communities. Said right of the contracting body is subject to the cumulative fulfilment of the conditions set out in Article 104 of the PPL.”
13. National Labour Inspectorate
Statutory tasks
[page 35]
“The statutory tasks of the National Labour Inspectorate include, in particular:”
(…)
“- issuing and revoking permission for a child to perform work or engage in other gainful activity until they reach the age of 16;”
Appendix 2 (information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Recommendations
[page 47]
“In their activities supporting Polish entrepreneurs, public procurement and development aid projects implementation, Polish foreign missions are guided by the following principles requiring them to:”
(…) “- cooperate with reliable partners whose reliability, including in the area of respect for human rights, has been checked using available instruments such as verification by specialised economic bodies. Particular attention should be paid to respect for human rights in the context of forced and bonded labour and child labour in the supply chain”.