Maternity is as social, mental, and emotional as it is physical for pregnant women. The pregnancy role is held in a high regard as it brings forth new life; the parturient is willing to endure the physical changes and vulnerabilities that come with it. Due to this, they seek out care from care providers, awarding trust that their rights will be respected. However, according to a landscape report entitled Exploring Evidence for Disrespect and Abuse in Facility-Based Childbirth, various literatures and accounts from content experts helped put recorded disrespect and abuse from maternity care providers into seven categories. This analysis gave birth to the Respectful Maternity Care Charter by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Charter provides a corresponding pregnant woman’s human right to every category of disrespect and abuse. It is presented as follows:
|
Category of disrespect and abuse |
Corresponding right |
|
Physical abuse |
Freedom from harm and ill treatment |
|
Non‐consented care |
Right to information, informed consent and refusal, and respect for choices and preferences, including companionship during maternity care |
|
Non‐confidential care |
Confidentiality, privacy |
|
Non‐dignified care (including verbal abuse) |
Dignity, respect |
|
Discrimination based on specific attributes |
Equality, freedom from discrimination, equitable care |
|
Abandonment or denial of care |
Right to timely healthcare and to the highest attainable level of health |
|
Detention in facilities |
Liberty, autonomy, self‐determination, and freedom from coercion |
Reference:
- White Ribbon Alliance. (2011). RESPECTFUL MATERNITY CARE: THE UNIVERSAL RIGHTS OF CHILDBEARING WOMEN. In World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/woman_child_accountability/ierg/reports/2012_01S_Respectful_Maternity_Care_Charter_The_Universal_Rights_of_Childbearing_Women.pdf