Warsaw – the capital of Poland – is a metropolis marked by resilience and transformation. As a political and cultural centre, it’s additionally the guts of the nation’s human rights motion. In recent times, Poland has turn out to be a battleground for elementary freedoms, with fierce protests for reproductive rights and gender equality, the attack on LGBTQ+ people, and the efforts to guard refugees, arriving from Ukraine and people on the Belarusian border.
With these struggles on high of the nation’s political agenda, the work of human rights organisations in Warsaw is of utmost significance. That is why we compiled this text highlighting a few of the most notable human rights charities advocating for human rights, combating for equality and demanding justice. Listed here are 11 human rights charities working in Warsaw, Poland:
Working since 1992, Polish Humanitarian Motion (PAH) is considered one of Poland’s largest and most essential humanitarian organisations. Devoted to offering humanitarian aid in crisis-affected areas around the globe, PAH helps guarantee susceptible populations’ human rights, delivering emergency aid, entry to scrub water, sanitation, meals safety, and schooling in battle zones and areas hit by pure disasters.
Whereas PAH operates globally, it additionally performs a major function in Polish home humanitarian points, aiding refugees, significantly these arriving from Ukraine and people stranded on the Belarus-Poland border. The organisation additionally offers direct support resembling shelter, meals, and authorized help to displaced people, whereas working to boost consciousness about humanitarian crises by way of media and advocacy campaigns.
The Helsinki Basis of Human Rights (HFHR) is the oldest non-governmental organisation (NGO) engaged on the safety of human rights in Poland. The organisation offers authorized help, conducts strategic litigation, and gives instructional applications that help the civil society. HFHR can also be recognized for its efforts to watch and affect Poland’s authorized framework, guaranteeing it aligns with worldwide human rights requirements.
With over three many years of expertise, the inspiration actively intervenes in precedent-setting authorized instances, feedback on laws, and proposes amendments to higher defend rights. It engages in advocacy by making ready stories for worldwide our bodies and assembly with international representatives. HFHR additionally helps form public debate by way of instructional supplies, occasions, and collaborations with different NGOs.
The Polish department of the world-renowned organisation, Amnesty International is a key participant within the nation’s human rights scene. The organisation engages in a variety of points related in Poland and past, together with freedom of expression, refugee rights and LGBTQ rights.
Amnesty Worldwide Poland has additionally been at the forefront of the reproductive rights battle in Poland, which in recent times acquired vital consideration from numerous human rights teams. Below the Legislation and Justice occasion, entry to abortion has been curtailed even in life-threatening conditions, placing pregnant folks’s well being, and even life, in danger. On high of advocating for reproductive rights, Amnesty has additionally supported activists, resembling Justyna Wydrzynska, who in January 2025 was prosecuted for serving to a girl searching for abortion by offering her with abortion drugs. They’ve been campaigning for the reversal of her conviction, arguing that the case represents an assault on reproductive rights and freedom of conscience.
Based in 2001, Marketing campaign Towards Homophobia is considered one of Poland’s main LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations. KPH works on authorized reforms, offering authorized help to people dealing with discrimination based mostly on sexual orientation or gender identification. They deal with elevating consciousness about LGBTQ+ issues and advocating for equal rights, whereas additionally providing psychological and authorized help to LGBTQ+ people in want.
The organisation rose to prominence in 2003, launching a visibility campaign known as “Let Them See Us” that featured images of same-sex {couples} holding arms in public areas. This marketing campaign was actually groundbreaking on the time, as the subject of homosexuality was within the margins of public discourse and largely thought of a taboo. Whereas the marketing campaign has not been with out its controversies (together with a major pushback and vandalism to the billboards), it launched the subject of homosexuality to the mainstream public discourse and contributed to conversations about societal prejudices
Since then, the organisation continued its work on LGBTQ+ advocacy, with initiatives resembling “Rainbow Friday” in 2015 (searching for to create a safer and extra inclusive surroundings for LGBTQ+ college students in faculties) or an “Emergency Condominium” initiative that helps younger queer folks experiencing homelessness in Warsaw.
The Middle for Monitoring Racism and Xenophobia is, because the identify suggests, a watchdog organisation centered on documenting and addressing cases of racism, xenophobia, and hate crimes, occurring in Poland. The organisation works by amassing information on discrimination instances, offering authorized help to victims, and pushing for authorized reforms to guard racial and ethnic minorities. They usually publish stories that make clear the prevalence and nature of such offences.
A defining and controversial second got here in 2017 when police raided OMZRiK’s Białystok workplace and the affiliated ThreeRivers Theatre. The group condemned the raid as politically motivated, viewing it as an try to silence criticism of rising nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment. Founder Rafał Gaweł’s 2019 jail sentence, broadly seen as politically pushed, led him to hunt asylum in Norway, drawing worldwide concern. His case underscored the rising strain on civil society in Poland and cemented OMZRiK’s function in defending democratic freedoms and minority rights.
Established in 2007, in response to the growing migration challenges in Poland, the Polish Migration Discussion board Basis is an organisation supporting migrants and refugees in navigating authorized, social, and cultural obstacles they enter as they transfer to Poland. The group offers psychological help, authorized support, language programs, and job counselling, serving to newcomers combine into Polish society. PMF is very recognized for its trauma-informed psychological well being help, providing counselling and workshops for each adults and kids.
In the course of the Belarus–Poland border disaster, PMF arrange a brief workplace close to the border to offer pressing authorized support and humanitarian help to asylum seekers. The inspiration additionally works to problem anti-migrant narratives by way of schooling and coverage advocacy. The inspiration can also be an energetic member of several networks, together with the Migration Consortium, Worldwide Detention Coalition and the European Community of Migrant Ladies.
#7. Batory Foundation (Fundacja im. Stefana Batorego)
Named after the Sixteenth-century Polish king – Stefan Batory – the Batory Basis is considered one of Poland’s most outstanding unbiased foundations, working to strengthen democracy, civil society, and human rights. Established in Might 1988, by American philanthropist George Soros and a gaggle of Polish democratic opposition leaders from the Nineteen Eighties, together with Bronisław Geremek and Leszek Kołakowski, the organisation funds tasks that problem authorities overreach, help grassroots activism, and defend democratic values.
In recent times, the inspiration has been significantly energetic in monitoring elections, advocating for judicial independence, and resisting democratic backsliding. By fostering an engaged and knowledgeable society, the Batory Basis performs an important function in defending Poland’s democratic establishments from authoritarian threats.
Ladies’s Rights Centre (Centrum Praw Kobiet) is an organisation that for over 30 years has been on the forefront of combating gender-based violence and discrimination in Poland. Offering authorized support, psychological help, and emergency shelter to girls dealing with domestic abuse, the group additionally pushes for stronger legal guidelines to guard survivors. In a rustic the place entry to justice for ladies stays an uphill battle, the Centre has been a lifeline for hundreds, providing not solely direct help but additionally main campaigns to alter public attitudes and laws.
Amongst its core achievements, the Centre has performed a significant function within the implementation of the Anti-Violence Conference (Istanbul Conference) in Poland and continues to battle towards makes an attempt to withdraw from it. Regardless of political backlash and hostilities from the right-wing, it stays an important power in advocating for ladies’s rights and gender equality. With workplaces in a number of Polish cities and a 24/7 helpline, it stays one of the vital trusted organisations for ladies searching for each speedy assist and long-term justice.
#9. La Strada (Fundacja Przeciwko Handlowi Kobietami)
La Strada Basis is Poland’s main group devoted to combating human trafficking, pressured labour, and fashionable slavery. Based in 1995 as a part of the worldwide La Strada community, it focuses on prevention, direct help to survivors, and advocacy for systemic change. The inspiration gives complete help to trafficking victims: authorized support, psychological counselling, protected lodging, and assist in navigating complicated bureaucratic processes. A lot of these it assists are migrants, girls, and kids who have been deceived by false job gives or trapped in abusive working circumstances.
Past particular person help, La Strada performs a essential function in elevating consciousness about trafficking dangers amongst susceptible communities. It organizes coaching classes for regulation enforcement, border guards, and social employees to enhance the identification and safety of victims. Public schooling campaigns, together with social media initiatives and college outreach, intention to forestall trafficking earlier than it occurs. Through the years, La Strada has turn out to be a revered voice in shaping Poland’s anti-trafficking insurance policies, advocating for extra survivor-centered legal guidelines and protections in a local weather the place exploitation typically remains hidden.
Since its founding in 1996, the By no means Once more Affiliation has been considered one of Poland’s most energetic teams combating racism, xenophobia, and far-right extremism. Identified for its meticulous monitoring of hate crimes and hate speech, it paperwork incidents that always go unreported, creating one of the vital dependable databases on extremist exercise within the nation. The affiliation additionally works on public schooling, operating campaigns that promote tolerance and historic consciousness, significantly concerning the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, and different types of discrimination.
Certainly one of By no means Once more’s most influential tasks is the “Let’s Kick Racism Out of Stadiums” marketing campaign, aimed toward tackling racism in Polish soccer tradition – a challenge that has gained worldwide consideration. Additionally they accomplice with music festivals, publishing homes, and youth organizations to unfold anti-racist messages and forestall the normalization of hate. Via advocacy, schooling, and public interventions, By no means Once more stands as a key power resisting the resurgence of far-right ideologies in Poland’s political and social life.
The Autonomy Basis is a feminist group dedicated to dismantling systemic inequalities and empowering girls, women, and marginalized communities in Poland. Based in 2007, the inspiration challenges patriarchal norms and buildings by way of a mixture of schooling, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. Its work revolves round three fundamental pillars: stopping gender-based violence, selling gender equality, and fostering management and civic engagement amongst these typically pushed to the margins of public life.
Certainly one of Autonomy’s signature initiatives is the “Energy and Voice” program, which mixes self-defence coaching with consciousness-raising workshops that train girls and women to say their rights, set boundaries, and construct confidence in private and non-private areas. The inspiration additionally engages in intersectional activism: supporting LGBTQ+ rights, migrant justice, and anti-racist causes, recognizing that gender-based discrimination typically overlaps with different types of oppression. In a rustic the place feminist activism typically faces political resistance, the inspiration stands out as a daring, unapologetic power for social transformation.
