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Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk. „This bill would save lives”
„The regulations vetoed by Andrzej Duda were those with the potential to protect the lives, health, and safety of children,” stated Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister of Family, Labor, and Social Policy, during her appearance on TVN24’s „Fakty po Faktach.” She also revealed that the bill concerning personal assistance for individuals with disabilities is set to be presented to the Sejm in the fall.
The Minister discussed two significant regulations that took effect on Wednesday during her segment on „Fakty po Faktach.” According to the new rules, the requirements for documenting the gender of an unborn child to access shortened maternity leave and funeral benefits have been eliminated. A stillbirth certificate will now serve as the basis for maternity or funeral benefits.
„These regulations are tremendously important and have come into effect today after years of hardship for women. Approximately 30,000 women experience miscarriages annually. Previously, these women and their families were theoretically entitled to various rights, such as arranging a funeral, receiving funeral allowances, or utilizing shortened leave. However, this was only theoretical. To access these rights, the sex of the deceased fetus or child had to be established, which could only be done late in the pregnancy. If a pregnancy ended earlier, it was exceedingly challenging and costly, often necessitating elaborate genetic testing,” Dziemianowicz-Bąk explained on TVN24.
When queried about how early miscarriages are addressed under the new regulations, she clarified that „the threshold is a confirmed pregnancy.” „If a pregnancy is confirmed and a miscarriage occurs, and a doctor or midwife provides a certificate affirming the miscarriage, that certificate will suffice for the woman to access the benefits she is entitled to,” she elaborated.
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Duda refers the bill to the Constitutional Tribunal
The Minister was also questioned about the decision made by outgoing President Andrzej Duda, who on Tuesday opted to refer the law permitting individuals aged 13 and above to seek psychological consultations without guardian consent to the Constitutional Tribunal for preventive review.
„This bill would save lives. The provisions vetoed by Andrzej Duda had the potential to safeguard the lives, health, and safety of children. This pertains to suicide attempts among youth, as well as addressing less dramatic but still pressing issues that young individuals encounter. This bill is crucial for the health and safety of young people,” she stated.
„Fortunately, the government’s bill concerning the profession of psychologist and the professional self-governance of psychologists is currently under consideration by the Sejm. It also includes provisions aimed at protecting young people and ensuring their access to psychological care. We will persist in our efforts, and I believe that if there is a will, these provisions safeguarding the youngest patients will be incorporated into this bill,” Dziemianowicz-Bąk remarked.
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She also highlighted initiatives already underway. „We are funding a helpline, which is widely utilized by young individuals. There are significant changes, backed by Deputy Minister of Education Paulina Piechna-Więckiewicz, concerning education and psychological care within both public and private school systems,” she noted.
„Numerous initiatives are designed to support young individuals and their mental well-being. It is regrettable that Andrzej Duda chose to veto one of these initiatives before exiting his role. However, we will not relent. We will continue advocating for the safety of young people,” she asserted.
Personal assistance project
Dziemianowicz-Bąk further announced that the bill regarding personal assistance for individuals with disabilities is slated to be presented to the Sejm in the fall.
„Personal assistance is part of the coalition agreement. As I mentioned—I stated this not only on my own behalf but also on behalf of the government—this bill will be submitted to the Sejm in the fall. It has already been referred to the Standing Committee (of the Council of Ministers),” she emphasized.
In response to the protest by individuals with disabilities in front of the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday, advocating for the adoption of the Personal Assistance Act, Minister Dziemianowicz-Bąk confirmed that the government’s bill on this issue is prepared, consulted, and revised.
The Ministry of Family’s project has been accessible on the Government Legislation Centre’s website since December 2024. The proposal, developed in the office of the Deputy Minister and Government Plenipotentiary for Disabled Persons, Łukasz Krasoń, stipulates that personal assistant services will be offered free of charge to disabled individuals aged 13 to 65, with the monthly number of assistance hours and the scope of support determined individually by a designated team.
Currently, the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy provides assistance services through temporary programs aimed at local governments and non-governmental organizations. There is no systematic regulation of these services to guarantee
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