Representatives of In Gremio proposed establishing a Women’s Council for the Bolesławiec County Head. The letter to the county head was signed, among others, by: Urszula Magryś – municipal councillor (KO), Katarzyna Żak – deputy head of I LO in Bolesławiec and ceramic artist Janina Bany-Kozłowska.

In 2021, the Bolesławiec Women’s Association “In Gremio” organized the first Women’s Strike in Bolesławiec. The women from the association take part in many humanitarian initiatives, such as aid for Ukraine, as well as charitable, cultural and activist campaigns.

The main features of democracy are human rights and civil society. Women’s Councils operating in Poland serve county, city and provincial authorities in an advisory and consultative capacity on matters concerning socio-economic life, so they undoubtedly reflect the fundamental principles of democracy. Their activities focus on education concerning tolerance, openness and respect, as well as anti-discrimination and violence-prevention measures. An important task of Women’s Councils is to strengthen safety and mutual respect in communication and public spaces.

Women play a key role in our society, serving as pillars of the family, local community, economy and education. There are 45,543 women in Bolesławiec County, accounting for 52% of the population. Their involvement and contribution to various areas of life have a significant impact on the social and economic development of our region. I believe it is worth making use of women’s intellectual potential.

The Council will consist of women from throughout the county who represent diverse professional and social backgrounds: public institutions, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Women’s Councils most often have between 10 and 15 members elected for a five-year term. Those entitled to nominate candidates for the Council, which performs a civic function, include public administration bodies, non-governmental organizations, social committees and women interested in membership.

Women’s Councils are institutions that play an important role in promoting equality, supporting women and taking action on their needs in various areas of social, economic and cultural life.

Currently, 45 Women’s Councils operate in various parts of the country. This means that local authorities committed to democratic principles have responded to social expectations. In Wrocław, the Wrocław Women’s Council under the Mayor of the City was established in 2010. Councils of this kind work very well both in large cities and in smaller cities than Bolesławiec, such as Wadowice and Dzierżoniów. On 26 June this year, the Lower Silesian press announced that the Lower Silesian Women’s Council had been established under the Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is worth recalling that a county whose city of Bolesławiec received a prestigious European Union award cannot be without a Women’s Council for the Bolesławiec County Head.

In many cities and counties, Women’s Councils engage in a broad range of matters, including promoting equality, supporting women in various ways—for example, through career counselling, vocational training, psychological assistance and financial support for women in difficult life circumstances—shaping social policy, and promoting health and education.

The contents of the letter from the Bolesławiec Women’s Association “In Gremio” to the county head