This January, the White Ribbon Alliance is throwing its weight behind
Respectful Maternity Care: The Universal Rights of Childbearing Women.
It is hoped this will raise awareness of women’s rights to respectful care during pregnancy and childbirth.
The initiative states: ‘In every country and community worldwide, pregnancy and childbirth are momentous events in the lives of women and families and represent a time of intense vulnerability.
‘The concept of “safe motherhood” is usually restricted to physical safety, but childbearing is also an important rite of passage, with deep personal and cultural significance for a woman and her family.
‘Because motherhood is specific to women, issues of gender equity and gender violence are also at the core of maternity care.
‘Thus, the notion of safe motherhood must be expanded beyond the prevention of morbidity or mortality to encompass respect for women’s basic human rights, including respect for women’s autonomy, dignity, feelings, choices, and preferences, including choice of companionship wherever possible.’
For more information of the alliance, click
here, and the PDF of the initiative can be downloaded
here.
