Re: [ozmidwifery] Human rights/women's rights/rigid policies

[Darren Sunn]

Andrea,   there is a very interesting "Occasional Paper" which is not a formal WHO publication but is on there website and is titled "Advancing Safe Motherhood Through Human Rights". (2000)   The general emphasis behind this paper is to explain how groups or individuals may inform themselves so as to pressure governments to comply with covenants that they have signed. The interesting perspective is that it maintains a non-aggressive approach to achieving a desired outcome rather then a legal approach.   CEDAW is the main identifiable covenant that is pertinent to this situation and Australia is a signatory to the CEDAW covenant (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women).   It's a familiar scenario that what is preached is not necessarily practised.   Darren