Thread: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: what is different about today? 🧵

#InternationalWomensDay

1/10 International Women’s Day #IWD2023, is a reminder that too often women’s voices are dismissed, talked over, and suppressed. Today, on #IWD2023 as with every other day, we will work to empower, amplify and centre the voices of women and birthing people

2/10

With partners @irwinmitchell, we have today taken legal action on Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board's visiting restrictions, which currently include the exclusions of birth partners from inpatient antenatal and postnatal wards, and from outpatient appointments and... any nonroutine scans. This letter follows on from our first to Cwm Taf in September after they made visiting restrictions more stringent in response to rising COVID-19 cases. However the restrictions are is in stark contrast with the restrictions in other areas of society...

'A history of racism and microaggressions has a massive impact on the way Black and Brown women receive and access care.' @sandeeigwe, co-chair of the Birthrights race inquiry discussing the latest @mbrrace report on @bbc5live @AyshahTull @tonylivesey #mbrrace 'Why are Black mothers four times more likely to die? Why are Black and Asian women more likely to report they're not being treated with kindness? Why are they less likely to have a choice about where to give birth? Why are they less likely to receive pain relief?' @sandeeigwe

This bleak picture shown in the new @mbrrace report has not changed in over a decade.

We remain deeply concerned that Black and Brown people’s basic human rights to safety, dignity and equality in pregnancy and childbirth are not being protected, respected or upheld.

https://twitter.com/mbrrace/status/1458694743198687234

As this report’s findings come to light, we are analysing our own evidence (our inquiry into racial injustice in maternity services) from hundreds of Black, Brown and mixed ethnicity women and birthing people about their experiences & the impact of systemic racism on their care.

Important blog from @joocloo @bmj_latest about democratising research with diverse communities during the Covid-19 pandemic & sharing issues raised by diverse groups about the impacts they are experiencing incl in maternity care & by black and minority ethnic groups(1/6)

https://twitter.com/bmj_latest/status/1269646560666759169

The blog shares issues raised at a community zoom in May abt impact of Covid 19 blogs.kcl.ac.uk/clahrc-south-l… "Pregnant women facing increasing fear and isolation as a result of appointments being cancelled, birth choices restricted and women too scared to come into hospital" 2/6