# Women's Strike protests (2020)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/2020-women-s-strike-protests
Location: Poland

In October 2020 a Constitutional Tribunal ruling restricting abortion sparked nationwide demonstrations organised by the Women's Strike movement. They were the largest protests in Poland since 1989. Within the broader Third Republic period: Democratic Poland transformed its economy, joined NATO and the European Union and became one of Europe's leading states, while confronting new security challenges on its eastern border. At this point in the timeline (2020), the governing authority was Andrzej Duda (President of Poland). Two-term president backed by Law and Justice. Women's Strike protests mattered because collective action by ordinary people challenged those in power and changed Polish society. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Women's Strike protests mattered because collective action by ordinary people challenged those in power and changed Polish society.

Ruler at the time: [Andrzej Duda](https://poland-history.com/rulers/andrzej-duda)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — 2020–2021 women's strike protests in Poland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932021_women's_strike_protests_in_Poland)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Women's Strike protests](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Women%27s+Strike+protests)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland (1989–present) (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_(1989%E2%80%93present))