Birth and Human Rights

"We" as in BH or 'we' as in Australia?

Gaia's Child wrote:Do you think that birth is an area that human rights is applicable? Do you think we uphold basic human rights in birth, and if you don't, what rights are being violated?

Ok, so I haven't read the link. But I would suggest that any area which involves humans should involve human rights. In birth at least two humans need rights--baby and mother. 'We', as in Australia, don't on the whole uphold the basic rights of either party. If we did, there wouldn't be so many horror birth stories floating around, and there wouldn't be the current attempt to criminalise independant midwifery.

YES! Birth is a human rights issue! From here, where womyn are violated during birth, to the Sudan where fistulas are common place due to FGM practices, and the effects on birth.

Mothers and babies are a unit, and need to be respected as such! It's a common misconception that womyn, babies, and families are respected during pregnancy and birth. I don't have all night or I'd list examples to prove my point, I also believe that most BH members are aware of some of these issues and don't need convincing.

Oh, ok, you asked for examples An example of how a womyn is not respected during birth would be how we are coerced into c/secs using the dead baby card. Telling a terrified womyn she is going to kill her baby if she doesn't consent to unnecessary surgery is a violation of human rights. Leaving a baby to cry in a plastic box, while its' mother weeps in another part of the hospital is inhumane and completely unnecessary!

YES birth needs to be included in the HR charter, but I'll eat my hat (and yes, I'll start with the green fluffy one - to make my partner happy) if anyone outside a few very small circles agrees. Wondering why? Babies are HUMAN, just because they can't say "put me down or I'll stab you in the eye with your stoopid heel prick test" doesn't mean their needs are any less. Pregnant womyn, and mothers, are HUMANS, not just vessels for bringing life into our world.

oh and also ....

I must confess, this is really complicated stuff! It's not just one life, it's two, sometimes three or more, that are involved. But womyn need bodily integrity to make the decisions for themselves and babies, they need all the information, not just the scary "what if" information to MAKE the decisions. I know many many mothers, and not one of them would endanger herself or her baby during pregnancy or birth, it's time that very basic fact was acknowledged!