Although obstetric violence is recognised as a form of gender-based violence in South Africa, it is not explicitly codified in law as a violation.

This type of harm takes different forms — from physical abuse to subtle violations of autonomy, dignity and consent. It occurs in labour wards — high-stress environments where life-threatening obstetric emergencies demand intervention — yet the rights and dignity of women in labour are frequently disregarded.

Black and working-class women, migrant women, and adolescent and HIV-positive women are disproportionately affected because of intersecting vulnerabilities.

Survivors can lodge complaints with medical institutions, the Health Ombudsman, and health professional bodies and councils. They can also sue for malpractice, but this requires hiring a lawyer, which is costly. Although these remedies exist, limited awareness, resource barriers and legal complexity stand in the way of accountability. These mechanisms also do little to prevent violations.

In this podcast, we discuss the topic of accountability in maternity services to ensure empathy, respect and dignity for pregnant women and post-partum mothers. We talk to Julie Mentor, the Project Lead of Embrace, an organisation advocating for respectful maternity care, as well as legal and policy reform for the benefit of mothers.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/birth-without-violence to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za