Polish lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of a bill to criminalize “the promotion of underage sexual activity,” in a move seen by some as a government effort to court conservative support and which outraged liberals who say the bill aims to ban sex education.
As protesters gathered outside the parliament and in cities across Poland, lawmakers from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party voted for the bill to go to a parliamentary commission for further work.
“Disgrace for the deputies ... who referred for further work a project punishing sex education with prison,” tweeted opposition lawmaker Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, who had earlier raised a motion to have the bill thrown out.
Outside the parliament hundreds of protesters had assembled, brandishing placards such as “Education protects against violence” and “Banning sex education is rape.”
“The attempt to limit access to education is a direct attack on all of us,” said Anton Lewandowska, 23, from the Ponton Group, a voluntary organization that provides sex education. “Many people I know who do sex education are scared to do our work despite the fact that it is a basic right of every person.”
Polish schools do not offer formal sex education, instead teaching students how to “prepare for family life.” Some cities run by more liberal parties have allowed sexual education programs in schools, prompting a backlash from the PiS and the Catholic Church. Read more via Reuters
Poland: New legislation treats sex education as 'pedophilia'
New legislation tabled by the right-wing Polish government would ban sex education and criminalize "the promotion of underage sexual activity." Teachers who flout the ban could face up to five years in prison.
Protesters have gathered in Warsaw to oppose new legislation proposed by the Polish government which would ban sex education in schools and treat it as "pedophilia."
According to Polish weekly newsmagazine Wprost, the new bill — known as the "Stop Pedophilia" law — aims to send sex educators to prison for up to five years. The legislation would "criminalize the promotion of underage sexual activity" and would also see anti-abortion and anti-contraception ideology taught in Polish schools.
Anna Blus, a researcher with Amnesty International, described the legislation as "outrageous" and "extremely vague and broad."
"This bill will put young people at risk," Blus told DW on Wednesday. "It could have disastrous effects."
The new law has the backing of the ruling conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), who on Sunday won an increased, but narrow, majority in the parliamentary election.
The party's popularity has in part been attributed to their socially conservative stance on homosexuality and sex education, and the sex education policy was among the first on their agenda. Read more via DW