Government Social Programmes Tasked With Fulfilling the Obligation of Public Authorities to Provide Special Assistance to Women Before and After Childbirth

In Article 71(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2 April 1997, the Polish legislator addresses the mother’s right to special assistance from public authorities before and after childbirth. However, the legislator did not concretise the forms and scope of this assistance to the mother but referred in this respect to the law. The development of social programmes took place, especially in the middle of the second decade of the 21st century. The social pro-family programmes are implemented at different levels of public authority, including state and local government. This is a realisation of the constitutional obligation of public authorities to provide assistance while also facilitating the support and distribution of financial resources earmarked for this purpose. The programmes have clearly had a positive impact on the financial situation of families, especially those with many children and who have been on the so-called ‘poverty line’ for many years.