Poland

Key Laws and Policies Combating Antisemitism and Antigypsyism in Poland

Article 257 of the Polish Criminal Code (1997)

Since introduction in 1997, Article 257 criminalises public insults based on national, ethnic, racial or religious identity. The nationally applied policy is a key legal tool for protecting minority groups in Poland from verbal hate crimes. The article reflects constitutional and international anti discrimination standards. While recognised as an important policy, its practical effectiveness is noted for being limited by inconsistent application and enforcement.

Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and on the Regional Language (2005)

This act is Poland’s core legal provision for recognising and protecting national and ethnic minority groups, including Jewish and Roma communities. It outlines community entitlement to preserve and practice their unique culture, language and traditions without persecution.

It also requires that public authorities support and encourage minority community engagement in democratic life with funding, education, and cultural initiatives. The Act underpins state efforts to tackle antisemitism and antigypsyism by offering legal recognition of the issue, safeguarding minority identity practices, and enabling targeted measures to promote integration and equality in broader society.

Roma Education Assistant (REA) Role and Supporting Legal Framework (2004)

Roma Educational Assistants (REAs) support the education of Roma pupils’ in schools and beyond by facilitating communication between schools and families. The mediation addresses barriers to education, championing participation and conflicts of interest between parties. The policy is grounded upon the Law on Education (2016) and the national Programme for the Social and Civic Integration of Roma (2021–2030). Although the measure is not legally required, recruitment prioritises Roma candidates for

cultural competence and trust. Since introduction, REAs have proven effective in improving Roma engagement in education with around 90 assistants currently employed across Poland.

Programme for the Social and Civic Integration of Roma in Poland (2020)

The programme, delivered and managed by Ministry of the Interior and Administration, is a multi year government strategy designed to improve the cross-sectional inclusion of Roma communities. It seeks to achieve this by reducing exclusion and ensuring equal access to public services by specifically addressing existing barrier of access for Roman communities. The programme combines targeted, systemic interventions across education, housing, scholarships, Roma Education Assistants (REAs), housing improvements, and locally tailored projects delivered through dedicated annual grant cycles.

Civil Society Best Practices in Countering Antisemitism and Antigypsyism

Numerous civil society organisations and initiatives are in operation around Poland which support the objectives of the policies in place, whilst being enacted independently of them as best practices. Many focus on education. For example, Warsaw Centre for Educational and Social Innovation and Training (WCIES) aims to counter antisemitism and antigypsyism by strengthening teachers’ and educators’ abilities to recognise and respond to prejudice, hate speech, and discrimination through workshops, training events and resources. Jewish association, Czulent, operate similar education courses for youth, adults and specialists, with a focus on understanding historical and modern forms of discrimination. The POLIN museum also sees education as a best practice, opening a centre for exhibitions, public events and trainings. Other organisations, such as Central Roma Council, promote healthy activism and relationship building to challenge such hate crimes effectively.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Policies and Initiatives

The Programme for the Social and Civic Integration of Roma uses the most structured evaluation process, combining quantitative monitoring (e.g., numbers of beneficiaries and funded projects) with qualitative feedback from local implementers. Some are monitored internally, whilst others, such as The Roma Education Assistant framework relies on external studies. There is no information available to The Act on National and Ethnic Minorities. Other best-practice efforts cited are evaluated in similar ways, with many organisations producing independant reports during or at the end of specific projects.

Evaluating the Success of Policies and Programmes

The Polish policies show varying levels of success. The Programme for the Social and Civic Integration of Roma reports 1,706 projects implemented between 2015–2019 reaching 6,611 beneficiaries. The Programme achieved positive assessments due to its decentralised approach of which 81% of implementers viewed as improving the quality of its application. Meanwhile, the legal framework regulating Roma Education Assistants is evaluated as highly effective in practice, with external studies confirming their tangible impact on inclusive education outcomes. The enforcement of Article 257 of the Criminal Code is sometimes viewed as insufficient in practice due to inconsistent application, frequent case discontinuations and limited prosecutorial effectiveness though no formal evaluation data is available. The Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and on the Regional Language provides a strong legal and institutional framework safeguarding the rights, cultural identity and participation of recognised minorities, including Jewish and Roma communities, but no direct evaluation data is available.