Policymaking for Equality – from conversations to solutions

At the Policymaking for Equality conference, organised by Campaign Against Homophobia in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers, more than 70 participants gathered in Warsaw, all of whom shape public policy in different ways. They included representatives of the government and parliament, embassies and members of the diplomatic corps of the Nordic countries, as well as people working in public administration, public services and civil society organisations.

The event created space for an exchange of experience with partners from the Nordic countries, who have been developing coherent and systemic approaches to equality policies for many years. It also enabled a comparison of different models of action, helping us better understand which solutions may be effectively implemented in the Polish context.

The discussions focused on three key areas. First, how to design law in an inclusive way, so that it reflects diverse social experiences and does not lead to exclusion. Second, how to build engagement and resilience among organisations working for human rights. Third, how to develop intersectoral cooperation in a way that is real and grounded in accountability, rather than merely declaratory.

The Policymaking for Equality conference confirmed that effective equality policies require cooperation, both between public institutions and between the public sector and civil society. It is precisely through such cooperation that tools are created to translate values into concrete action.

We would like to thank our partners for their trust and for helping to create this space for dialogue: the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, the Department for Equal Treatment of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Warsaw, the Embassy of Finland in Warsaw, the Embassy of Iceland in Warsaw, the Embassy of Sweden in Warsaw, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Warsaw.

We also extend our thanks to the Messalka Events team for their hospitality and organisational support throughout the event.

This meeting was not a conclusion, but a starting point for further work on solutions that strengthen equality in practice.

Fot. Dawid Dobrogowski, Daria Boczkowska