Poland’s Grassroots response

Ukrainian Refugees

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggered the largest migration crisis in Europe since World War II. Rather than refuse Ukrainians, Polish citizens arrived at the border with food, clothing, and transportation. In the first three months, more than 75% of Poland’s population assisted Ukrainians, mostly with food or money, while about 10% opened their homes. More than two years later, citizen involvement has decreased but assistance continues. These actions create numerous questions:

  • What factors influences ordinary Polish citizens to help Ukrainian refugees?

  • What were the primary forms of assistance?

  • How do Polish citizens perceive Ukrainian refugees, and to what extent do perceptions impact the support provided?

  • What strategies were used to integrate Ukrainian refugees into Polish society?

  • What social organizations and businesses are involved in relief efforts and why?

By the end of 2022, over 8 million Ukrainians became refugees in Europe. As of May 2024, over 2.51 million Ukrainian refugees have crossed the Polish border, with about a million residing in Poland. With such a large number of Ukrainians living in Poland, we wonder about their reception and integration and how this compares with other countries in Europe. Among the questions we are considering are:

  • What are the biggest challenges Ukrainian refugees face in Poland ?

  • Given the involvement of so many ordinary citizens, how do refugees perceive informal citizens aid and how does this compare with institutionalized and/or government assistance?

  • How do Ukrainians perceive their reception and integration in Poland?

  • How do women cope with the challenges ?

  • What actors and strategies are most effective?

Grassroots Humanitarianism & Citizen’s Aid

The reception and integration of Ukrainians into Polish society is a pivotal case study of the motivations, practices, and limitations of grassroots humanitarianism (GH) — defined as the efforts of individuals and small initiatives to alleviate the suffering of strangers at home. Although research on humanitarianism once focused on governments and large NGOs based in the Global North, this has shifted in the last decade. Globalization and large numbers of migrants seeking refuge in Europe and the United States has pushed scholars to focus on the responses of “ordinary citizens” and the growth of citizen’s aid. Yet, there is much we do not know about GH and citizen’s aid, such as:

  • How effective are grassroots initiatives compared to larger, institutionalized aid?

  • How do gender dynamics shape participation, leadership and outcomes?

  • To what extent does GH empower local communities and build resilience against future crises?

  • What strategies were used by local NGOs to integrate Ukrainian refugees into Polish society?

  • How do Polish NGOs engage in helping Ukrainians preserve democratic norms and values?

  • How do local initiatives work with international organizations and funders?

Global Migration

Migration is a pressing issue. As populations grow and resources become strained, the need for safe and orderly migration pathways becomes increasingly important, especially in Europe. Governments, international organizations, and societies must work together to address complexities of migration. Poland’s recent experiences highlights the following questions:

  • What are the political, social, economic, and cultural impacts of the migration crisis on host communities in Poland? What were the key challenges and achievements in Poland’s response to Ukrainian refugees?

  • What factors hindered and facilitated the reception and integration of Ukrainians?

  • What are the key lessons learned from Poland’s experiences and how might these practices be used in other contexts?