"Life and dignity" academic competition

On Saturday 25 March 2023, awards were presented in the academic competition “Life and dignity”, organized by the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life.

This year's edition of the competition included 30 academic papers (21 master's and 9 undergraduates) defended between 2020 and 2022 in 16 students in Poland. Participants are graduates of various fields of study, including: family, law, pedagogy, nursing, midwifery, or psychology. In their works they contact on pro-life topics, both in the legal and biological-medical dimension. There is besides work to discuss social and intellectual aspects of the defence of human life.

– The academic competition "Life and dignity", although intimate, is 1 of our most crucial educational projects. The technological reflection on topics that contact on the competition slogan is very crucial for our Association. Unfortunately, looking at what is happening in the modern planet about life, 1 can get the impression that intellectual integrity is beginning to be lacking in the technological world. Sometimes you can get the impression that discipline seems to be “in the service” of interests. It is more crucial than fact to follow trends, which is simply a burden. discipline without fact becomes an ideology. We hope that our competition is even a tiny brick to change this trend. – emphasized Magdalena Guziak-Nowak, manager of Education of the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life, during the final gala of the competition.

The aim of the Life and Dignity competition is to encourage academic youth to take an interest in issues related to the promotion of life as a fundamental value for the existence of individuals and full societies. It is an expression of interest that students undertake investigation on this issue, which is understood from the position of the discipline they study, and which at the same time form the basis for preparing and defending their diploma work. The work is assessed by experts in the technological field.

During the gala held in the Provincial Public Library in Krakow, all present winners of the competition were able to present in respective sentences the problems of their work and besides to bring the process closer to its formation. Many of them stressed the importance and request for them to support the promoter in taking up specified a subject alternatively than another one.

The following awards were awarded in the category of undergraduate work:

1st place: Maciej Reniec "The opinion of nursing staff on euthanasia in the immediate household (based on own research)".

Reasons for the reviewer: It is ambitious work, both due to the subject being discussed and the way it is implemented. The author, utilizing a self-prepared questionnaire poll, obtained online opinions on euthanasia from 146 people who have nursing education and most of them work in an educated profession. In developing the collected investigation material, it did not limit itself to undergoing statistical analysis utilizing respective tests applied on the basis of quantitative social research, but the results obtained referred to the results of another available studies on a akin subject, and the resulting comparison covered the conclusions with his own comment.

Author's Word: The subject of the work appeared rather unexpectedly, after 1 of the subjects “Death and Dying”, where euthanasia was discussed. Liberalization and rejection of actual values shows how you get lost. It is crucial to explain the meaning of the word euthanasia. People frequently spoke of her as a right to death in polls to my work. And it's the opposite. Difficulty in life is not to be perceived as a misfortune, but to be treated with dignity.

II place: Magdalena Laskowska “Post-abortion Syndrom in the light of selected literature of the subject”

Justification of the reviewer: creating a coherent whole. A peculiar value of work is to draw attention to comparatively seldom raised, and crucial differences in the endurance of post-aborcious syndrome by women and men and to show spiritual ways of helping those experiencing this syndrome.

III seats not awarded

Distinction: Monika Przyjemska “Consequences of abortion in the life of a female in the medical, intellectual and spiritual aspects”

Reasons for the reviewer: Work is simply a reliable survey of the consequences of women’s lives. The author, based on the correctly selected and current literature of the subject, presents them in a clear and interesting way, skillfully combining the peculiar threads of work. It is besides worth noting that the text of the work is very correct and beautiful, which unfortunately is not a common feature.

The following awards were awarded in the category of master's thesis:

1st place: Ewa Rejman "The relation between spiritual freedom and freedom of conscience and "new human rights".

Reasons for the reviewer: In her work, the author addresses the issue which is presently the subject of controversy among scientists and participants in public debates, the origin of which is the clash of opposing world-view options, a different answer to the question of whether there should be equality between natural-led classical human rights, specified as freedom of conscience and religion, as confirmed in global legal acts, and alleged fresh Human Rights, including reproductive, anti-discrimination and sexual rights. This equality is recognised primarily by supporters of alleged “new rights”, whose activity in the field of legal action is peculiarly visible in the United States and Western Europe. With this in mind, the author presents concrete examples of I mechanisms of action in these countries by supporters of "new rights" and a consequence from supporters of classical rights. It is not only limited to showing the legal aspects of these actions, but besides draws attention to psychological, sociological, philosophical and theological factors that do not have an impact on the course and results of a circumstantial conflict between representatives of both options. A valuable component of the work is besides the inclusion of proposals for strategies that could be utilized in communication with supporters of "new rights" in order to effectively defend their rights as supporters of freedom of conscience and religion, which are very often, besides in our country, in defensive positions.

Author's Word: – I am highly grateful to the Polish Association of Life Defenders for my work. I know how much good the Association does for children and those before birth and those already born, at the same time surrounding the support of women erstwhile they request this support most. Although I regret that present I cannot be present at the ceremony, I very much hope that our paths will cross again and again. "Unfortunately, the absent winner of the first place in the letter addressed to the participants of the gala stressed.

2nd place: Piotr Nowak „Judical position and legal protection of a kid conceived in the legal order of the Republic of Poland”

Reasons for the reviewer: An crucial value of the work is to merge and present in a deeper way information about the position and protection of the conceived kid from various departments of Polish law. The author besides makes an effort to go beyond the scope of the applicable legal order and makes a number of demands on future desirable legal regulations, notably in terms of the protection of the conceived child. It is besides worth emphasizing the general impact of the work, which clearly demonstrates the author's affirmative attitude towards human life as a value and affirming the individual dignity of man since his conception.

Author's Word: – The subject presented is both in my opinion and in the view of the Constitutional Tribunal, 1 of the most hard and most crucial issues in the context of a democratic regulation of law. The difficulty is due to cross between legal, medical, ethical, social and spiritual themes. It is besides to be admitted that this subject creates utmost social emotions. As to the choice of work, my decision was influenced by the time context. Throughout my full law school, there was a debate about abortion. These were both civic projects and applications to the Court. My individual beliefs were besides influenced by the choice of the subject, which, thanks to Mr. Ppromotor's attitude, could be spelled out in my master's thesis

The 3rd place was awarded to 2 persons:

Alina Zemełka: “Accompaniment in full suffering of a illness surrounded by palliative care”

Reasons for the reviewer: The main nonsubjective of the author's statements is to emphasize the function that loving companionship can play in reducing the burden of suffering for those experiencing the final phase of life. The suggestions contained in the paper on the directions of the studies that would be worth taking in the future are good evidence of her ability to take a deep and reflective look at the problem at work. They are besides an expression of an attitude aimed at seeing in a totally suffering individual a being who has the right to treat worthyly to the end of his life.

Author's Word: At work, I decided to approximate the concept of full suffering. In the first chapter, I described how a serious, irreversible illness is now seen and how we talk about it. The second and 3rd chapters are a holistic view of people dying. This was besides possible from the position of their own experiences. For a while, I worked as a care individual for people dying. It was hard to find a promoter of my work. After a year, however, the cooperation went well. From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to present the issues of death as a climax of life, not something sad.

Marta Witecka "Health care for children with Down syndrome in a multi-children household and foster household – case study"

Reasons for the reviewer: The awarded work is simply a very extended two-part hearing. In the theoretical part, the author, based on medical, intellectual and pedagogical literature, discusses the situation of children's parents with Down syndrome, including information on the anticipation of educating specified children, and highlighting the affirmative influence of organizations, groups and net forums supporting specified household experience in their operation. The second part of the work is the phase of the case, which is the detailed improvement stages of 2 boys increasing up in a multi-child family, 1 of whom is simply a natural kid and the another adopted.

Author's Word: The intent of this work was applicable due to the fact that it was a case study. I focused on describing the case of 2 of my sons with Down syndrome, their inquiries into comparative fitness and our attitudes. Our boy Kuba, whom we adopted, miraculously avoided abortion, which shows that his place here was on the ground in our family. In my individual belief, all life is precious no substance what it looks like, how it progresses or how long it lasts. But there is no man who has the right to decide erstwhile the life of another man ends. My master's thesis allowed me to bring our situation, our time. Down syndrome isn't the end of the world. It's a small different life, you gotta control to it, get utilized to it, quite a few emotions are hard and you can do it, and the effects can be great.

Distinction: Maria Rozenbaiger "Effects of diagnosis and treatment of infertility utilizing the implemented Comprehensive Protection of Procreative wellness Programme in Poland from 2016 to 2020 in Procreation and Endometry Disorders Advice in 4 Military Clinical infirmary in Wrocław".

Reasons for the reviewer: The main core of the distinguished work is the analysis of the data contained in the medical documentation collected in a specialised medical clinic aimed at treating procreational disorders. A detailed analysis of these data is preceded by information on the general assumptions and functions of wellness programmes implemented in Poland, with peculiar emphasis on the comprehensive wellness care programme and the chapter on infertility, which is presently a serious problem in our country. A valuable conclusion, which results from the author's research, is that in the treatment of infertility it is essential to deepen diagnostics and apply a therapeutic approach that takes into account the circumstantial situation of each pair.

Ewa Rejman, "The relation between spiritual freedom and freedom of conscience and alleged fresh human rights", abbreviation of the master's thesis

In my work, I focused on the analysis of spiritual freedom and freedom of conscience and its relation to "new human rights", among which I paid peculiar attention to reproductive laws, anti-discrimination laws and sex laws. Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the human rights protection strategy has continuously evolved on many levels. There are doubts as to whether any fresh laws are the details of these classical ones, or alternatively the consequence of artificial creation. Although in explanation almost everyone would be willing to agree with statements about the request to defend human dignity, the right to freedom of conscience or the right of women to self-determination, in practice it frequently turns out that they are standing on 2 sides of the world-view debate. It may so appear that the implementation of 1 kind of alleged rights threatens the implementation of others.

From a pro life perspective, consideration of reproductive rights is peculiarly important. It should be stressed that the right to abortion as a component of any another human rights is not included in any binding treaty. Nor can it be found in the average law, due to the fact that in specified a case states would gotta agree on its existence. According to Programme of Action – the final paper of the global Conference on Population and improvement in Cairo (1994) – a non-binding but consensual one, any legal changes concerning abortion should only be established at national or local level, in accordance with the legislative process adopted. Any opinion of committees, treaty monitoring bodies or UN agencies may be of an advisory nature only and as such, in accordance with the rule of sovereignty, is not binding on individual countries.

Conflicts between claims relating to reproductive rights and freedom of conscience and belief are mainly manifested in demanding participation (active support) in access to abortion or contraception and early-onset measures. Restrictions on freedom of conscience would mean, among another things, the request to carry out or participate in abortion procedures, the request to finance contraceptives and early-on-the-job workers in insurance, or to refrain from expressing their views in certain situations, or even the prohibition of aid measures in certain areas.

A conscience clause is simply a legal solution that relieves a individual from participating in a procedure he profoundly disagrees with due to his religious, moral, ethical or philosophical beliefs if participation in it would lead to serious conflict and force him to act against his own conscience. It must always concern fundamental values for the integrity of a person. In my work, I referred, among another things, to the Swedish midwives, Linda Steen and Ellinor Grimmark, who were denied employment due to the fact that they did not want to assist in abortions, and the European Court of Human Rights refused to recognise their cases. I besides critically described the wellness improvement introduced in the United States by Barack Obama, as a consequence of which spiritual institutions conducting social activities were forced to buy out their employees' insurance covering contraception and possibly active measures besides after fertilization. The issue of the small Sisters from the mediocre was peculiarly loud, a spiritual assembly focusing on the aid of the poorest of the poor, who have no 1 else to take care of them. The sisters refused to acquisition specified insurance for their employees, and yet the ultimate Court ruled in their favor. Interestingly, almost 10 years after the reform, no female was found who, due to the attitude taken by the nuns, could not gain access to contraceptives and suffered any harm.

I have besides described the issue of pregnancy crisis centres, or centres providing comprehensive assistance to pregnant women facing hard situations. The law introduced in 2015 in California imposed 2 types of duties on them. Centers that do not supply medical services would gotta indicate that they do not supply them in 13 languages on each flyer, poster or banner. Medical services centres would gotta inform their patients that in the state of California they may have made free or almost free abortions, and each time they give the number of the agency that would connect them to abortion centres. The ultimate Court yet decided in their favor, but if it had not, the centres would have 3 options: they would gotta deny their mission, proceed it, and pay immense financial penalties alternatively of spending money to aid women in request or shut down their activities, which would have affected the most beneficiaries of their assistance.

Similar violations of freedom of conscience besides happen in the UK. In Ealing, the east part of London, councillors in 2018 introduced alleged buffer zones covering an area of 100 metres from the clinics where abortions are performed. They were to be banned from action that would lead women to change their mind. Among another things, any acts of disapproval against abortion, giving leaflets offering applicable support to women who want to keep a child, “disturbing” clients of clinics in any way, and praying. The introduction of specified a regulation has sparked many protests from both those who saw it violate the right to freedom of speech, assembly and religion, as well as the mothers themselves who in the past received tangible aid before the clinics. They have organised the "Be here for me" campaign, where they share their stories and argue the ban. They say, among others, about the abandonment of a partner, deficiency of means of life, homelessness, force from loved ones. A large part of it mentions that no 1 has previously offered them any alternate another than a legal abortion by week 24. The assistance offered by people standing at the clinic consisted, among others, of paying rent for the apartment, providing food vouchers, buying expeditions for the child, intellectual and legal support. Nevertheless, in December 2022 the United Kingdom ultimate Court upheld the introduced bans.

In the final part, I draw attention to the key function of appropriate communication of beliefs by spiritual organizations and those dealing with the protection of life. Law and public opinion depend on each other. On the 1 hand, the law has an educational function and shapes public opinion, on the another hand, it is mostly created or interpreted by representatives of a society in which the majority has certain views. Although the courts should be independent and the judges should be independent, it is easy to imagine that, as with all another people, so can they, to any extent, affect social sentiments.

The problem of clashing spiritual freedom with "new human rights" should be addressed not only on the legal, but besides on the sociological, psychological, philosophical, historical and theological level. In terms of supporters of fresh human rights, the main origin determining whether an individual should receive something is its individual will. Even if the facts prove that receiving this is contrary to her well-being, health, morality or the welfare of society, this would not change the concept of primacy of will in the final account. Morality is based solely on the intent of the individual making the decision, mainly on the judgement of whether intention is honest. As a result, an act is considered to be good if it is considered to be specified by the individual taking it, due to the fact that only the individual who takes it can decide. Desires become the origin of fresh laws, and the origin of desires is the individual mind. Their goal is primarily to accomplish "personal fulfilment". It ceases to be an nonsubjective reality that a individual should know and, after a possible knowledge, establish his attitude towards him, and only the way he subjectively perceives it matters.

This difference in approach to life must be taken into account in any effort to communicate. Addressing the question of “Christian values” is improbable to convince those who do not consider values to be important. It is essential to explain each time the reasons for utilizing a clause of conscience or conduct another than those prevailing in society.

The main request for communication on spiritual freedom is to replace the strategy: “We are following the X rule and we do not request to explain why. The law guarantees us spiritual freedom, so we will get it on legal grounds”

strategy:

"We follow the X rule due to the fact that this is good for the following reasons and reflects our theology as follows. We can do this good if we are given spiritual freedom, so we must do it even before courts."

In the last chapter of the paper, I explained in item the assumptions of specified communication, which would include, among another things, the location of the Church's teaching on sexuality at the same level as teaching on solidarity and “options for the poor”, the translation of the reasons for “conversations” by referring to both empirical data and theological sources dating back to the beginnings of Christianity, the mention to the right to spiritual freedom only by those individuals and organisations that actually carry out Christian vocation in all their activities, and the emphasis that spiritual freedom is primarily a affirmative freedom and its beneficiaries are besides people with another beliefs..

Religious freedom and freedom of conscience can so besides be seen as affirmative freedom (freedom to service and help) alternatively than simply negative being “necessary evil”. Supporters of “new rights” advance them in a comparatively unfettered way, frequently with the support of the state or online giants. In this context, it seems unfair to take distant the chance for Christians to offer the public their own imagination of the planet and love. It is up to them how they will communicate it and whether they can decently justify it. In the light of empirical data presented in the work, it may turn out that not only the straight curious but besides those outside their ellipse can gain from spreading this vision.

Winners of the 2020 Academic Competition "Life and dignity" for Master's and Bachelor's Degrees

Zuzanna Kopczyńska won the discrimination in the category of undergraduate work, a postgraduate of the University of Warmia and Mazury in the field of obstetrics, for her work on “Home transportation versus infirmary transportation – case study”.

A third-place winner Joanna Jędrzejewska, a postgraduate of the Medical University of Łódź in the field of obstetrics, for her work entitled "Palatinate care for household and newborn in terminal state".

Second place came in. Anecie Stachnik, a postgraduate of the State Higher Vocational School in Tarnów in the field of nursing, for her work on “Merning care for a patient with spinal muscle atrophy kind I – case study”.

First prize awarded by the competition committee Maria Rozenbaiger, a postgraduate of the Medical University of Wrocław in the field of obstetrics, for her work "Application of NaProTECHNOLOGY in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility – case analysis".

Two distinctions were awarded in the category of master's thesis:

Claudia Bujak, a postgraduate of the University of Silesia in the field of law, for her work entitled “Lost chance of recovery or survival. A comparative law study’ and Veronika Wojtyla-Bialaecka, a postgraduate of the University of Silesia in the field of theology, for her work entitled "Right to Opposition of Conscience on the Example of prof. Chazan's Case".

She received the 3rd prize Paulina Scumbag, a postgraduate of the University of Silesia in the field of household learning, for her work entitled "The Dependency between contraception and abortion in the light of selected literature".

Second prize she won Dominica Lukasik, a postgraduate of the University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński in the field of household learning, for her work entitled “The request of families awaiting the birth of a kid with Down syndrome and the support they receive – on the basis of own research”.

The winner of first place became Natalia Thirdak, a postgraduate of the Medical University of Wrocław in the field of obstetrics, author of the paper entitled "The way to pass an adverse diagnosis in the opinion of mothers of children affected by a severe prenatal illness".

To read: abbreviation of the Master's thesis by Mr Natalia Trzewak – the first prize winner

W Kraków On 23 February 2019, awards were awarded for the 3rd time in a nationwide academic competition for master's and undergraduates on pro-life issues.

– You were ready to defend your position against the academic environment, family, friends, which could frequently affect social ostracism – Wojciech Zięba, president of the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life, addressed the winners of the competition. – I think it is an act of courage and actual maturity. I'm glad that erstwhile you wrote your papers, you set an example of love for another man you don't know. This is simply a wonderful evidence for which I thank you very much," he added.

Barbara Nowak, the Malopolska Education Curator, besides expressed appreciation for the winners of the competition. “If a young man takes the problem to compose a pro-life work, then making specified a choice must be the consequence of thinking: ‘Can I afford to make a decision at specified a young age, who will I truly be? Can I afford to bear witness to the fact throughout my life?” I am delighted that you have chosen specified a path," said Barbara Nowak. I have a 36-year stint. I've been at school most of this time, and now I'm the curator of education. From this alternatively long perspective, I can tell you that if you always have any doubts about the welfare of the child, then it is worth remembering that we are not just surviving for ourselves, but for another man. If I see hope for Poland, I see hope in you. And thank you very much for that," she added.

The work of the Competition Commission, chaired by prof. Franciszek Adamski, was summed up by sociologist Dr. Krystyna Kluzów. – In all 3 editions 60 works were submitted, in this year's edition – 17. Our competition is so intimate, which is due, among another things, to the fact that not all promoters are willing to accept pro-life topics of their diplomats – said Dr. Krystyna Kluz. – any participants addressed legal aspects of pro-life issues, others focused on biological-medical, social or anthropological and ethical issues. Many works were interdisciplinary – she discussed. Competition applications were received from universities in Katowice, Toruń, Opole, Szczecin or Krakow, and the authors were graduates of specified fields as philosophy, household science, law, midwifery, applied linguistics and sociology.

The winners of this year's edition of the competition for the best master's thesis were: Anna Kubacka and Wiesław Prostko (ex aequo 1st place), Wioleta Waloszczyk (second place), Krzysztof Sądecki (III place) and Krzysztof Reszka (distinguished). The Competition Commission awarded 2 awards in the category of undergraduate work. They were received by Adriana Poryszewska (second place) and Isabella Flag (III place). The topics of the awarded work were very diverse, among others, the position of a kid conceived in Roman law, the legal position of the protection of an unborn kid in all the countries of the European Union, the care of a pregnant female in a perinatal hospice after the child's letical defect, the function and tasks of a midwife as a associate of the Perinatal Care infirmary Team, fresh media in the service of the integration of people with disabilities, and the problem of quality of life in discussions on the admissibility of abortion. The winners presented their investigation proposals.

Special guests at the awards were Teresa King and Dr. Rafał Michalik. Teresa Król, longtime monthly editor Educator, she is the author of the Polish sex education model kind A, which educates young people to marital fidelity. It is thanks to her educational programme that we present have very good results in raising young people to liable parenthood, among others, very low pregnancy rates in minors, low prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among young people or comparatively late (from another European countries) average age of sexual initiation. Dr. n. med. Rafał is simply a co-founder of the Pro Humana Vita Foundation. During the PRL, he issued and signed the brochure “Save the Life of the Undefensive” about protecting children from birth. In those days, it was a heroic act, for which he was met by slander and harassment.

The organizer of the academic pro-life competition is the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life in Krakow. This initiative was initiated by Dr. Antoni Zięba, his founder and longtime president, who died on 3 May 2018. The mission of PSOŻC is pro-life education and charity aid. As part of this first Association publishes brochures, books and pro-life films, organizes popular-scientific conferences, competitions, exhibitions showing the beauty of life from conception. It reaches for a affirmative message, affirming life. PSOŻC besides coordinates 2 aid schemes: the household Support Fund (this is aid for single mothers and families expecting a kid to be born and in financial difficulties) and the sick kid Fund (this is support for families raising disabled children). More at www.pro-life.pl.

Marcin Nowak
Coordinator for volunteering of the Polish Life Defenders Association

Reviews of the works of the winners of the 2018 Academic Competition

Master's thesis

1st Prize (ex aequo) – Anna Kubacka and Wiesław Prostko

Anna Kubacka – Roman law and ethical culture ancient to the conceived child, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, direction: Law, promoter: prof. dr hab. Andrzej Sokala

To read: abbreviated work by Ms Anna Kubacka.

The author took the subject of the problem hard due to the fragmentarity of sources and the heterogeneity of their interpretation, as seen in the opinions presented by erstwhile researchers. Work is simply a successful improvement of the title topic. The author skillfully utilized the rich literature of the subject and did well with first texts. The clear layout, consistent implementation of the stated goal and the ability to formulate conclusions supported by clear arguments are very good evidence of its investigation preparation. It is besides worth noting that the work written is simply a good polish, which, with today's low, unfortunately, language culture, is simply a peculiarly affirmative distinction.

Wiesław Prostko – A policy to defend the lives of children from birth in the countries of the European Union, Ignatianum Academy in Krakow, direction: Administration and public policy, promoter: prof. dr hab. Bogdan Szlachta

To read: abbreviated work by Mr Wiesław Prostka.

The deficiency of comparatistic papers on life protection policies in various European Union countries in the Polish publishing marketplace makes the presented work, in which the author presented the situation in all associate States of the community, a fresh one. It is peculiarly crucial to item the propaganda mechanisms and organisational and financial influences that influence the improvement of pro-abortion options in the countries concerned, as well as the educational and depraved function of the law in making moral choices by citizens – especially with respect to the conceived life. The wide and skillful usage of the literature of the subject, including abroad language, is very good evidence of the author's advanced investigation qualifications.

II prize

Violeta Waloszczyk – Legal-moral aspects of high-risk pregnancy, University of Silesia, direction: Sciences about family, promoter: dr hab., prof. UŚ Antoni Bartoszek

Although an essential part of the awarded work was the reflections focused on the legal and moral issues of high-risk pregnancy, it must be stressed that the author has presented them in a much broader context, including medical, social and intellectual aspects of the hazard of pregnancy. This broad image of the problem represents an crucial value of work and allows to treat it as an interdisciplinary study, whose reading enriches the reader's knowledge, and the transparent way of presenting the issues raised makes this dissertation read with interest.

III award

Krzysztof Sądecki – The problem of quality of life in discussions on the admissibility of abortion, Catholic University of Lublin, direction: Philosophy, promoter: Prof. Barbara Chyrowicz

The work deals with the issue of the admissibility of abortion for eugenic reasons, frequently undertaken in public discourse and subject to sharp arguments, in which emotional arguments cloud or sometimes even replace the request for calm analysis of rational arguments. The main problem posed at work was the author's discussion of the argument on the quality of life, which is frequently exhibited by supporters of eugenic abortion. After presenting the quality of life category as the basis for its valuation and the resulting arguments for abortion, he undertook a polemic with eugenic abortion supporters, focusing on 2 issues: the normative position of conceived life and discrimination against people with disabilities. Consistently rejecting eugenic arguments, he explicitly advocated the protection of the conceived life.

Highlight

Krzysztof Reszka – fresh media in the service of integration and motivation of people with disabilities, Pope John Paul II University, direction: Journalism and social communication, promoter: Fr. prof. Andrzej Baczyński and Fr.

The author has devoted his work to people with disabilities whose social status, despite the affirmative changes in this area, is inactive not equal to the position of people with disabilities. Based on many and well-chosen sources, he has shown the function they play in overcoming communication barriers, professional activation, and in promoting their own work by selected fresh media, namely the Facebook social network, YouTube and Wikipedia. In a passionate work in it, he showed that contrary to popular opinion, people with disabilities frequently surpass their qualifications and values of those who can only offer them compassion.

Undergraduate work

II prize

Adriana Poryszewska – Unfailing prenatal diagnosis – the function and tasks of a midwife as a associate of the Perinatal Care infirmary squad – a case study, Warsaw Medical University, direction: Obstetrics, promoter: Małgorzata Stefaniak

The aim of the paper was to effort to answer the question of how obstetric staff could aid the parents of an unborn kid in the situation of the definitiveity of a negative prenatal diagnosis and how they should prepare for the birth of a kid with a illness or congenital defect. This consequence was shown on a case-by-case analysis of the pregnant parent of a kid with a serious heart condition. The analysis included not only a presentation of the situation in a purely medical dimension, but besides statements of the parent of the kid and midwife from the perennial hospice, obtained during interviews with them. The issues raised in these interviews contributed to enriching work with a valuable humanistic aspect of the subject.

III award

Isabella Flag – Pregnant care in perinatal hospice after uncovering a letal defect of the fetus – case study, Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum, direction: Obstetrics, promoter: Dr. Anna Mierzwa

The value of the work is simply a holistic approach to the problem in the subject dimension, expressed in consideration not only of the situation and endurance of a pregnant parent of a kid burdened with a letal defect, but besides of his father and a focus on the tasks of staff of the perinatal hospice. The author presented these tasks in a very concrete way, showing both the goals of caring for the parent and her unborn kid in subsequent stages of pregnancy development, as well as the planned actions aimed at minimising negative feelings and experiences resulting from pregnancy with negative prognosis. This instructional part of the work, after appropriate preparation, could be utilized to aid prepare future medical personnel for work in hard situations, which undoubtedly includes taking care of a pregnant parent with a known letal defect of her unborn child.

List of winners of the 2017 Academic Competition for master's and undergraduates in pro-life issues:

Master's thesis

And the reward – Anna Bogdanowicz: Status of embryo and foetus in Polish law (University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Law and Administration, direction: law)

II prize – Magdalena Zatka: Conflicts of values in medical care of a newborn born at the border of survival (Medical University of Lublin, Department of wellness Sciences, direction: nursing)

III award – Karolina Prońska: Moral evaluation of eugenic abortion in the light of selected literature (University of Silesia, Faculty of Theology, direction: household learning)

Highlight – Marta Chorzępa: Adoption of the conceived child (University of Wrocław, Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics, direction: law)

Highlight – Fr Aliaksei Papliouka: Gender ideology as a threat to the essence of matrimony and household in Polish public debate (University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań, Faculty of Theology, direction: Theology)

Undergraduate work

And the reward – not awarded

II prize – Natalia Thirdak: Specific care for a patient with a known fetal letal defect including perinatal hospice care– case survey (University of Silesian Piast Medical University in Wrocław, direction: obstetrics)

III award – not awarded

Highlight – Natalia Anhalt: Children as modern soldiers. usage of minors for armed actions (University of Gdańsk – Faculty of Social Sciences, direction: national security)

Works submitted for the 2017 Academic Competition

Total number of works: 20

• Master's thesis: 14
• Undergraduate work:6

Universities: (12 universities)

1. Adam Mickiewicz University – Poznań (6)
2. University of Gdansk (3)
3. University of Wrocław (2)
4. Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University – Warsaw (1)
5. University of Warmia and Mazury – Olsztyn (1)
6. University of Rzeszów (1)
7. Maria Curie-Skłodowska University – Lublin (1)
8. Gdańsk Medical University (1)
9. Piast Silesian Medical University – Wrocław (1)
10. Medical University – Lublin (1)
11. Łazarski University – Warsaw (1)
12. Ateneum – Higher School – Gdansk (1)

Fields of study: (10)

1. Theology (6)
2. Right (3)
3. Administration (3)
4. Family learning (2)
5. Psychology (1)
6. Dialogue and social advice (1)
7. National safety (1)
8. Nursing (1)
9. Obstetrics (1)
10. Pharmacy (1)

Subject matter:

• Legal aspects of pro-life (6)
• medical aspects of pro-life (3)
• social aspects of pro-life(4)
• anthropological and ethical aspects of pro-life (6)
• outside the thematic profile of the competition (1)

Competition for master's and undergraduates in pro-life issues 2016

On 24 April 2017, the first edition of the competition for master's and undergraduates in pro-life issues organized by the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life was decided.

The competition was organized to make academia's interest in pro-life issues and to support investigation into the defence of human life at different stages and under different socio-cultural conditions.

23 papers were sent to the competition, including 16 master's and 7 undergraduates from 12 universities from all over Poland.

The competition committee headed by the president of the Council of Experts of the Polish Association of Defenders of Human Life, Prof. Dr. Franciszek Adamski, awarded the following works:

Iwona Stroka – And the reward for master's thesis: The problem of infanticide in the Silesian Voivodeship, prepared under the direction of Dr hab. Ewa Jarosz

Alicja Banczyk – II prize for master's thesis: Discontinuation of persistent treatment based on the European Court of Human Rights ruling in Lambert and Others v France, prepared under the direction of Dr. Michał Kowalski

Peter Guzdek – III award for master's thesis: Isolated miscarriage as a social problem, prepared under the direction of Dr. Urszula Dudziak, Prof. KUL

Urszula Krupa (Biala) – award for master's thesis: Ethical-social aspects of the commercialisation of modern medicine, utilizing doctors' relationships with the pharmaceutical industry, prepared under the direction of Father Dr. Andrzej Muszali, Prof. UPJPII

Katarzyna Waliczek – award for master's thesis: Abortion – good or bad for the fetus with congenital defect? Analysis based on R.R. case against Polandprepared under the direction of Prof. Dr. Vladimir Galewicz

Dominic Cretaceous – II prize for undergraduate work: Abortion lobbying in Polish media, prepared under the direction of Dr. Mieczysław Ryba, Prof. WSKSiM

Joanna Kucia - I'm sorry. III award for undergraduate work: Analysis of the level of cognition and attitudes of 0-10-year-old couples regarding NaProTECHNOLOGY, prepared under the direction of Dr hab. Edity Barnas

Alexander Strzelecka – award for undergraduate work: The function of Teresa Strzembosz in the past and improvement of single parent homes in Poland, prepared under the direction of Dr hab. Anna Fidelus, Prof. UKSW

Winners received cash and material awards.

Total number of work submitted: 23
Masters: 16
Undergraduate work: 7

Institutions:
Jagiellonian University – Kraków (4)
Pope John Paul II University – Kraków (3)
University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński – Warsaw (6)
University of Silesia – Katowice (1)
University of Szczecin – Szczecin (1)
University of Warmia and Mazury – Olsztyn (1)
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University – Lublin (1)
Catholic University of Lublin – Lublin (1)
Pontifical Theological Division – Wrocław (1)
Technical and Humane Academy – Bielsko-White (1)
State Higher Vocational School – Tarnów (2)
Higher School of Social and Media Culture – Toruń (1)

Fields of study:
Family learning (4)
Nursing (4)
Journalism (3)
Theology (3)
Pedagogy (2)
Right (2)
Obstetrics (2)
Philosophy (1)
Psychology (1)
Sociology (1)

Subject matter:
Bioethical and medical aspects of pro-life issues (8)
Social, psychological-pedagogical and legal aspects of pro-life issues (15)