The main challenge that the project addresses is the lack of advocacy of women's rights in the maternity care system in Slovenia. There is a lack of awareness among women and health professionals in general about individual rights within the maternity care system in Slovenia, a lack of empowerment of women and health professionals, who practice women's rights through their work, and a disconnect between patients and health professionals. Women in the maternity care system need advocacy because of the extremely relevant, but underrated phenomenon: violation of human and patient’s rights of the birthing mother, improper medical practices and violence during birth. It is a universal and taboo issue; studies have shown it is also very present in Slovenia. In this proposal our priority is »Gender equality and gender based violence prevention«.
The main result of the project is to reinforce the advocacy of women's rights in the maternity care system in Slovenia, which contributes to greater actualization of women's rights.
This will be achieved with a new web portal will provide pregnant women, expectant fathers and health professionals with up-to-date information on women's rights during childbirth: what they are, what quality childbirth care is, why it is right for women to have a say in choosing maternity care and how these choices are exercised. We will connect health professionals and users. In cooperation with both parties, we will come up with solutions that will be tested in practice by health professionals. We will organize a main event where the findings will be presented to health professionals, women, decision-makers and the public.
Our project will be directly beneficial to women who plan to become pregnant, are pregnant, or are mothers, health professionals who already practice women's rights, and indirectly to women's partners and the general public.