Gdańsk: fighting discrimination with empowerment
Gdańsk is a city on the Baltic coast of Poland, and a gold winner of the European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award 2023 for LBGTIQ equality initiatives.
A safe space for LGBTIQ communities
Gdańsk has shown the depth of its commitment to diversity in its pioneering equal treatment activities. Their systemic response to discrimination has empowered the local LGBTIQ community by raising awareness, supporting victims, and ensuring the inclusivity of their public services.
Gdańsk achieved this by having officials work closely with people from the LBGTIQ community “to develop standards for friendly service” and make their city an “inviting space” for LGBTIQ people, said Barbara Borowiak, Chief Specialist for Equal Treatment. In addition to support in situations of rights and safety violations, the city's activities also focus on the empowerment of LGBTIQ people: “City grants are used to run development groups for transgender people, LGBTIQ adults, and parents of LGBTIQ people.” Training for school staff on creating an LGBTIQ-safe environment at school has also been provided, to great effect.
The process was guided by “an empathetic design method, which allowed people to empathise with the experiences of an LGBTIQ person.”
Their systemic response to discrimination has empowered the local LGBTIQ community by raising awareness, supporting victims, and ensuring the inclusivity of their public services.
A broad area of focus
The strands of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) activity also encompass legal, psychological, and assistant support to victims of discrimination. This was an essential action in combatting the “lack of legislation at the national level to support responses to hate crimes against LGBTIQ people,” said Borowiak, “or to support mental health or the recognition of queer families.” In response to the reported needs of the people of Gdańsk, the local government decided to take action to increase security and support for people experiencing discrimination. A partnership of NGOs set up the Gdańsk Equal Treatment Centre – a network supporting people experiencing discrimination and violence on the basis of their identity. The Centre has been a success, and LGBTIQ people regularly receive support from it: “Since its inception, they have been the second most frequently supported group.”
Working from the ground up
Gdańsk is proud of working alongside local LGBTIQ organisations. “Engaging grassroots organisations to build partnerships and have a collective impact is very important. This allows us to understand the specific needs and challenges of the local community, identify areas for improvement, and develop tailored strategies.” The level of commitment to these initiatives is evident, as the representative associations involved have been supported on a long-term basis.
