A/HRC/41/33/Add.2 of women and their implied inferiority. 29 International human rights treaty bodies have repeatedly expressed concerns about the persistence of harmful stereotypes and their adverse impact on the enjoyment by women of their human rights, and particularly the negative stereotypes of Roma women, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women and women with disabilities (see E/C.12/POL/CO/6 and CEDAW/C/POL/CO/7-8). 58. According to some interlocutors, gender stereotypes associated with feminine and masculine qualities persist in the education system. In the media, men seem to dominate public and political discussions as invited experts and politicians, while women are mostly relegated to shows on fashion or beauty, which reflects and reinforces gender stereotypes, as confirmed by the monitoring and analysis conducted by the National Broadcasting Council. The Working Group was pleased to learn that the Council had intervened in cases of programmes with content that was degrading towards Ukrainian women, as well as content promoting sexual violence. 30 The Working Group encourages the National Broadcasting Council to use the powers entrusted to it by the Broadcast Act of 1992 to the fullest extent, especially with regard to monitoring and issuing corrective measures for noncompliance and undertaking awareness-raising activities. B. Family life 59. Marriage, family, motherhood and parenthood are protected under the Constitution, which defines marriage as a union between a woman and a man. While different family forms and intimate relationships exist, same-sex partnerships are not legally recognized, and people in such relationships encounter difficulties under family laws that are based on heterosexual relationships, for example with regard to the exercise of parental authority. Transgender persons face difficulties in having their gender identity legally recognized. Additionally, the parental rights of underage unwed mothers are not recognized, and the right to marry is restricted for persons with intellectual disabilities. Moreover, the practice of separating infants from their underage mothers who are staying in correctional institutions is particularly concerning.31 60. The Working Group recognizes that the Government has taken social policy measures to support the family as a value protected under the Constitution. In 2016, for example, it introduced a pronatalist and poverty reduction programme called “Family 500 plus”, which provides cash transfers of 500 zlotys to every second and further child, while provision is means tested for the first child. While this was generally viewed by different interlocutors as a positive measure for reducing poverty, particularly for those in precarious situations, concerns were also expressed regarding possible negative effects on the participation of women in the labour force and their long-term economic security and independence. There were already indications of visible decline in the labour force participation of young women in 2017 and 2018.32 While the Working Group recognizes the immediate positive impact of the measure, its implementation should not create a shift towards confining women solely to the role of mothers and carers in service of the family at the expense of their participation in the formal economy and in other spheres of public life. 61. The Working Group also notes that Poland has generous legal provisions for maternity, paternity and parental leaves under the labour law. Paid maternity leave lasts for 20 weeks and increases when there is a multiple birth. Paid paternity leave lasts for two weeks. Since 2013, parents of young children have been entitled to paid parental leave of up to 32 or 34 weeks, the first 14 weeks of which are reserved for the mother, while the remainder can be shared by the mother and the father. Additionally, parents are also entitled 29 30 31 32 KARAT Coalition, Alternative report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, February 2014. Information provided by the National Broadcasting Council. Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights on the Activities of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture in Poland, 2017. European Commission, Country Report Poland 2019, available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/file_import/2019-european-semester-country-reportpoland_en.pdf. 13