Why does the minister for family care think that stories about obstetric violence are a conspiracy against childbirth in Serbia?

"For twenty years, there has been a campaign against the birth of children in Serbia, and it is part of the global agenda. And that's why obstetric violence, bad conditions in maternity wards, and bad food are highlighted, and that's why they keep insisting on it," said Đurđević Stamenkovski, guest on TV Prva. writes RSE.

During the show, the minister also pointed out that she recently discussed support for families and women with the church.

A maternity hospital, not a slaughterhouse

One of the last cases in Serbia suspected of obstetric violence occurred in the Health Center in Vranje on April 17, when a 37-year-old woman died during childbirth.

The higher public prosecutor's office in that city later announced that the cause of the death of the woman in labor was uterine rupture and that it could be due to negligent provision of medical care, and the head of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service at that health facility was dismissed.

Due to obstetric violence in Serbia, protests were held in January under the name "Maternity, not a slaughterhouse", prompted by Marica Mihajlović's announcement that she survived obstetric violence during childbirth in Sremska Mitrovica, after which her baby died.

Encouraged by that case, a large number of women then shared their negative experiences from maternity hospitals across Serbia on social networks.

The citizens' association "Kreni-promeni" then asked the Ministry of Health of Serbia to enable women to have a companion present during childbirth.

As the representatives of that movement in Belgrade said, 190.000 signatures were submitted to the ministry in the campaign "Stop Obstetrical Violence", which provides support to expectant mothers.

They specified that the authorities are required to give women in labor throughout the country the right to choose a companion of their personal choice who would be with them during childbirth.

We must not deny obstetric violence

After the minister's statement, the journalists of the Tampon Zone podcast announced themselves on their Instagram profile.

"We strongly condemn such statements, actions and relativization of the experience of women who suffered serious violence in maternity hospitals, which left irreparable consequences." It is important that you talk to women, and not to underestimate their pain and seek the approval of violence from church leaders. The Church has no place in the womb", the Tampon Zone announcement states.