[7] The first four early periods coincided with the foreign partitions of Poland, which resulted in the elimination of the sovereign Polish state for 123 years.

The improvement to women's conditions during the communist era was significantly influenced by the socialist pro-birth position, seeking an increase in the population.

[10] The fall of communism in Poland meant the shaking up of the country's politics and economy, as well as initial economic and social destabilization.

In the post-socialist workforce, women occupied mainly sectors of lower economic priority and light industry, due to factors such as selecting for types of education and training more compatible with family life (usually paid less), discrimination and gender stereotypes.

[12] This pattern of gender employment inequality was viewed by the majority as the result of women's primary role in the family, as well as deeply rooted Polish culture and the tradition of the patriarchal system.

[16] During the long occupation, the responsibility for maintaining national identity fell on mothers, whose main task was the "upbringing of children".

[17] The status of women in contemporary Poland must be understood in the context of the political scene and of the role that the church plays in society.

Poland is a country strongly influenced by Roman Catholicism, and religion often shapes politics and social views.

The entire idea of chivalry was based on the almost divine worship of the female, and every knight had to have his "lady" (dama) as the object of (very often platonic) love.

[24] Long before the emancipation movement, women in Poland had an important social role mainly due to the numerous conflicts and threats that kept men away from home.

Among the notable elements of women's clothing of the time were "long, satin dresses" decorated with gold and pearls, as well as "aureate slippers".

The top three places for the most wins in the annual most popular sportsperson contest, the Plebiscite of Przegląd Sportowy, are occupied by women.

These included the activist and military officer Aleksandra Zagórska, World War II secret agent Krystyna Skarbek and the mostly forgotten Wanda Gertz, as well as Anna Walentynowicz, co-founder of the anti-communist Solidarity (Solidarność).

Prominent Polish female artists include Olga Boznańska, Anna Bilińska, Tamara de Lempicka, Zofia Stryjeńska, Magdalena Abakanowicz and Alina Szapocznikow.