1. 1 Poverty in Poland Irena Wóycicka Head of the Social Security Department woycicka@ibngr.edu.pl Policies for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in ECE Region: Reducing extreme income disparities UNECE Seminar 2-3 October, Geneva The Gdansk Institute for Market Economics

2. 2 Main socio-economic indicators. Poland.

3. 3 Economic development in Poland

4. 4 Income poverty development in Poland

5. 5 Poverty development in Poland and economic growth.  In the period of transition the economic growth was correlated with the growth of income inequalities. Even fast economic growth in years 1993-1998 was accompanied by the increase of the relative poverty.  In the period of transition the fast economic growth has only slightly positive impact of the extent of the absolute poverty. During slowdown absolute poverty increased.

6. 6 Population at the poverty risk in 2001. Poverty risk in relation to average poverty risk (legal poverty line)

7. 7 Net enrolment ratio.

8. 8 Education (cont)  Significant differences in the quality of education;  Differences in access to education (disabled, low educated families);  Low education ratio of adult population.

9. 9 Health

10. 10 Access to basic households amenities

11. 11 CONCLUSIONS  Economic growth did not limit the income inequalities and poverty in Poland;  During the transition period the growing income inequalities were combined with substantial improvement of health status of population, improvement in education and higher standards of dwellings; To reverse the trends in the poverty and inequality development is one of the biggest challenges for Poland ;

12. 12 Conclusions (cont) Strategic points of the policy:  Reduction of unemployment and increase of employment of vulnerable groups as low educated, disabled and women;  Better access to education for vulnerable groups as well as better quality of education;  Acceleration of the social and economic restructuring of rural areas;  Introducing of more effective social policy towards multi-children families.