The main organizer of the conference was Prof. Paweł Sobczyk, and the papers were delivered by speakers from several countries.
The main objective of the conference was to find an answer to the basic question: how do modern states try to solve demographic problems through law? In this way, the subject matter of the conference was part of the research conducted by an international team of scientists, devoted to demographic issues and legal answers. The research objectives of the research group are to examine the macroeconomic effects of demographic change; to define the place of families and family policy in overcoming the demographic crisis; to review the challenges of family policy and the family policy landscape in Central Europe; and to examine the role of family law and health law in protecting families and children and promoting childbearing to improve demographic problems.
The result of the research conducted by scientists from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Poland will be primarily a multi-author monograph entitled Demographic issues and solutions in Europe, scientific articles, scientific blogs, conferences and dissemination events. This conference was one of those events.
The interest of young lawyers in the issue of demography is not accidental. Extremely dynamic demographic processes that have social, economic and political conditions should be reflected in legal regulations. The steady decline in the number of so-called indigenous people in Europe with the simultaneous influx of legal and illegal immigrants and refugees requires quick but thoughtful legal intervention. The membership of countries in the European Union, as it appears from the presented papers, can help, but also make it difficult for countries in a difficult demographic situation to find and apply appropriate solutions.
A separate problem – raised during the conference – was the cultural and religious identity of the countries of Central Europe. The demographic crisis, combined with the influx of people with different cultural and religious roots, may cause a number of implications, including those that are difficult to overcome through ad hoc legal action. For, it turns out that the traditional European pluralism of worldviews and religions ‘does not stand the test’ in the clash with political correctness and a relatively expansive approach to this type of issues, especially by people coming from traditionally Muslim countries.
Papers diversified in the thematic scope, the common element of which was demography, showed that despite the differences between the countries of Central Europe, there are numerous similarities between them. We are talking about similarities in the sphere of problems and similarities in the sphere of ideas on how to solve them with the help of law. Once again during this conference, it turned out that a common, sometimes difficult history, and common values can lead to interesting and creative conclusions.
As emphasized in the introduction to the conference, its main organizer, „This conference is for young scientist. It is in you, young scientists, that the future of science lies. The exchange of views, experiences, different perspectives on the issues of family and demography will not only broaden our knowledge, but hopefully will help to create some interesting international projects in the future”.
During the conference, the following young scientists presented papers:
| Gellért Nagy Kinga Ilyés | Family Protection in the Light of the Provisions of the Constitution of Romania and in the Recent Case Law of the Constitutional Court of Romania |
| Cemre Erdal | Small State Theory in Migration Policies: Case Study Hungary |
| Anita Klimas | The principle of (ir)permanence of marriage in Polish family law as a basis for demographic stabilization. |
| Raheleh Soltanibahrehmand | Protecting Families, Securing Demographics |
| Huthaifa Albustanji | Digital data challenges on Families: Privacy of spouses’ data and minors’ data protection under spotlight |
| Amirhossein Niknejad | Iranian Judicial Independence with comparative perspective |
| Dorota Francisciová | Women at the Center of Government Policies – Ensuring Access to Quality Childcare and Work-Life Balance |
| Laura Bianca Emödyová | Brain Drain – Causes, Effects and Legal Responses |
| dr Michał Służalec | The participation of Catholic Church entities as educational and upbringing assistants in Poland – raising a child by a parent in accordance with their beliefs |
| dr Klaudia Kijańska | The best interests of the child as a clause determining decisions regarding minor |
Conference participants received certificates confirming their presentations and participation in the conference.
The participants of the conference decided to continue their scientific cooperation, among others by participating in the annual conference devoted to the issues of the family, which from now on will be regularly organized every October in Opole by Prof. Paweł Sobczyk and the Fundamental Rights Research Team headed by him.
Opole, 28.10.2023
Paweł Sobczyk
