The "Humanitarian Barometer 2026", commissioned by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and conducted by Opinia24 on a representative sample of 1,000 adults between February 12-19, found broad charitable engagement among Polish society, alongside nuanced views on who deserves support, as reported Monday by the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily.
The most popular motivations for giving were an emotional need to help others (56%), a belief that good deeds are reciprocated (50%), and upbringing (37%). Preferred causes for financial donations included health and medical treatment, and aid to victims of natural disasters.
While 47% of respondents said support should go primarily to fellow Poles because "we have plenty of our own problems," that figure is down from 53% the previous year. Willingness to support refugees rose to 47% of positive responses after a decline last year, with support for migrants reaching 39%.
On the conflict in Gaza, 67% rated the Israeli government's actions negatively, particularly regarding civilian protection.
Some 45% felt Polish authorities had not done enough to counter what they described as genocide in Gaza, while 31% said they had received no information about the war over the past year.
More than half of respondents said Poland should admit for medical treatment those injured in Gaza who cannot receive adequate care locally; only 18% opposed the idea.
(jh)
Source: PAP