On Thursday the 17th May 2018, Kultura Liberalna held a debate on disability politics in Poland, asking what disabled people actually require and how we can avoid serious issues becoming party political playthings in the battle for the ballot box.
About the debate:
Disabled people and their families have now been protesting in the Sejm
for about a month. Throughout this period, government politicians have tried to speak to the protesters and have expressed understanding only to then accuse them of a lack of desire to enter into discussions or even of exploiting their own children. Minister Elżbieta Rafalska went as far as to sign a memo of understanding with disabled groups, however, not with those who have been protesting in the corridors of the Sejm.
Meanwhile, the opposition has called upon the government to fulfil the protesters’ demands, has supported the organisation of press conferences, engaged prominent figures, appealed to the media and accused the government of a lack of empathy.
All of which is, of course, a complete reversal of the roles played some years ago during the period of the PO-PSL government. At that time, it was PiS representatives who were handing out sandwiches, supporting, inviting, appealing and making accusations.
And, it doesn’t appear to be the case that the protesters are asking for all that much, with them merely requesting a 500 zł [c. €115] allowance for families looking after disabled children, who, in time, will become adults with disabilities. Yet, even if the protesters’ demands were to be fulfilled, would that be the end of the matter or would we then see the next round of protests in the Sejm in one or two years’ time? What support does the Polish state currently provide for disabled people and their carers and what would actually be needed in the long-term? What can Poland learn from the experience of other states? And, what needs to be done in order to avoid disability benefits becoming an object of party political rivalries and the banal fight for votes? What does Poland, as a society, need to do to fulfil its responsibility towards people with disabilities?
To find out more, watch the video highlights at the top of the page. Polish speakers can also watch a full-length recording of the discussion on Kultura Liberalna’s Facebook page, which you can reach by clicking here.
Participants:
Speakers:
Rafał Bakalarczyk is a doctor of political sociology, a former editorial secretary of Problemy Polityki Społecznej & an in-house expert specialising in social policy at Norden Centrum
Katarzyna Bierzanowska is the founder of the Pełnoprawna initiative and a member of the Fundacja Kulawa Warszawa
Bernadeta Krynicka is a Sejm representative for Prawo i Sprawiedliwość
Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus is an independent representative in the Sejm and a former member of Nowoczesna
Henryk Wujec is a former politician and secretary of state in the Ministry of Agriculture, who, most recently, worked as a social adviser for President Bronisław Komorowski
Moderator:
Łukasz Pawłowski is a political columnist and the secretary of Kultura Liberalna’s editorial team
Debate media:
Video highlights of this discussion with English subtitles can be found at the top of this page and a full-length Polish language recording of the debate can be accessed on Kultura Liberalna's Facebook page by clicking here.
You can also keep informed of media content from other TTT debates, by following us on our social media and/or media platforms, where we regularly publish and keep followers up-to-date about new recordings
Furthermore, you can stay informed about all Kultura Liberalna videos and live streams by following their Facebook page, which you can reach by clicking here.
