The Government Population Council was established by Order No. 44 of the Prime Minister of 3 May 1974 as the Government Commission for the coordination of inter-ministerial activities in the field of population policy. Since the very beginning, the Commission has performed consultative and advisory functions for the Government in the area of population policy, but also those related to the dissemination of demographic information, the establishment of international cooperation and the representation of the Government at events of global importance. The current scope of the work is regulated by Order No. 85 of the Prime Minister of 29 May 2006 on the Council for Coordination of Inter-Ministerial Activities in the Field of Population Policy (and subsequent acts). It continues its consultative and advisory function, its informational and educational function and its cooperation with scientific centres at home and abroad. The first Chairman of the Commission was Professor Kazimierz Secomski, PhD. In the years 1999-2016, the Council was chaired by Prof. Dr. hab. Zbigniew Strzelecki. After his death, the function was held by Prof. Dr. hab. Józefina Hrynkiewicz. Since 2006,

The Government Population Council is composed of members appointed by name by the Prime Minister - experts, scientists, researchers, members delegated by ministries and members representing scientific societies and committees, medical institutes or the Convention of Marshals of Voivodeships of the Republic of Poland. The Government Population Council issues annual reports on the demographic situation of the country, organises national and regional scientific conferences and scientific seminars. It disseminates demographic knowledge in numerous publications also published in open access, participates in international discussions at successive UN sessions and provides opinions on draft statistical surveys and draft legal acts and non-legislative documents for the government.

Since 2002, the Government Population Council has been organising Demographic Congresses every ten years to present up-to-date research and analysis results and the results of the National Censuses. The first Congress was held in 2002, the second in 2012 and the third in 2022.