Our vision
Respectful maternity care now and into the future because healthy women make healthy babies make healthy nations.
Our values
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- Maternal Health is socially and culturally valued;
- Services are founded on principles and practices of primary health care; and
- Respectful Maternity Care
Our strategies
- Advancing(the) goals of Maternal Health Matters at all levels
- respecting, protecting and encouraging individual, gender, cultural and social diversity
- educating all people irrespective of their origins, age and circumstances
- promoting the development of reliable evidence and sharing good practice to advance maternal health for the benefit of all generations
We will engage with the world around us by building alliances, influencing policies and inspiring community action. This will be done through the development of a robust and respected organisation.
The Respectful Maternity Care Charter
The Respectful Maternity Care Charter clarifies and clearly articulates the rights of women and newborns while receiving maternity care within a healthcare facility. In 2011, the While Ribbon Alliance launched a global campaign to promote a clear standard for respectful maternity care (RMC), rooted in international human rights. The Respectful Maternity Care Charter was developed by The Global Respectful Maternity Care Council – a broad group of stakeholders representing research, clinical, human rights and advocacy perspectives.
In 2018, The World Health Organisation endorsed the Respectful Maternity Care Charter and published the WHO recommendation on respectful maternity care during labour and childbirth.
The key elements of Respectful Maternity Care are:
- Dignity, respect and privacy;
- Freedom from harm and ill treatment;
- Responsive healthcare;
- The highest attainable level of health;
- Autonomy and freedom from coercion;
- Unbiased information to make an informed decision;
- Respect for choices and preferences;
- Freedom from discrimination;
- Continuous support during labour and childbirth.
