I created Birthworkers for Human Rights in 2020 whilst living in Florida, to bring to attention to, and to call for birthworker accountability in addressing the deepening harm being caused by the Medical Industrial Complex. I acknowledge that birthwork, like many areas of healthcare, is deeply rooted in white race superiority, and that birthworkers who sit within power and privilege must take personal and collective accountability for harm. Birthworkers must identify the ways in which their practises may deepen and uphold racism, discrimination, obstetric violence, human rights violations and may contribute to morbidity/mortality, trauma and perinatal mental illness.
the mission ...
BIRTH WORKERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.
I have personal experience of preterm birth, NICU and miscarriage and have supported many families through different birth, NICU and neonatal death experiences. I believe that birth as the first path, and death as the last path, are deeply spiritual and individual, and I am honoured to walk alongside you in your own unique journey. My support is always rooted in ritual, honouring, advocacy, human rights and trauma prevention, and I believe you have a right to feel safe, seen,validated, heard and respected, without judgement or expectation.
The role of birthwork in the liberation of all people is central to the mission of Birthworkers for Human Rights, and birthworkers are called in to decolonize their work, to breakdown systems of harm within the medical industrial complex, their communities and globally, in order to secure the liberation of all people. Birthworkers are challenged to explore the ways in which birthwork has been shaped by colonization, white supremacy and capitalism and the significant harm these have on a global scale. Birthwork cannot be viewed from a singular lens, it is foundational to the liberation and safety of all people, globally.
Secondly, Birthworkers for Human Rights provides a reflective educational space for birthworkers who sit within multiple layers of privilege to (1) take self and collective accountability for actively addressing their own personal bias and positionality in birthwork and (2) identify the ways in which white supremacy culture and the multiple systems of oppression and power, impact they way they provide support. It is vital for birthworkers to identify where reproductive care inequities, disparities and human rights violations exist, and to understand their impact on the most vulnerable, and marginalized people in their communities.
Through the provision of information, signposting and call to action/discussion posts, the Birthworkers for Human Rights social media platforms aim to facilitate active reflection, growth and required meaningful change. Group members are required to stand in their autonomy, to incorporate activism and advocacy into their role and to identify when they are centering their privilege over the needs of marginalized people or birthworkers, and are being complicit in harm. Establishing support structures within birthworker communities that facilitate cohesion, communication, opportunity to use collective power and collaboration, peer mentoring, self-reflection, and healing of trauma is the basis to the longevity of this challenging but essential reproductive justice work.
Through my activism work, I am an Amplifier for the National Perinatal Task Force and remain committed to using my platforms to educate privileged birthworkers about racial and class disparities in birth outcomes and to call them into action to ensure equity in maternal and infant healthcare through the work they do. Via my social media platform @perinatalproject I also provide perinatal education and emotional support to families in Gaza who are pregnant, birthing and parenting in genocide. Birthwork is a tool of liberation and no one is free until we are all free.
