Master's Degree programme in International and Cross-cultural Relations Second Cycle (D.M. 270/2004) Final Thesis Obstetric Violence as Violence Against Women A Focus on South America Supervisor Ch. Prof. Sara De Vido Assistant supervisor Ch. Prof. Luis Fernando Beneduzi Graduand Laura Zazzaron 836492 Academic Year 2016 / 2017 Obstetric Violence as Violence Against Women: A Focus on South America Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Chapter 1. Obstetric violence and reproductive rights ...................................................................................... 7 1. What is obstetric violence? .................................................................................................................... 7 1.1 History of Women dealing with obstetric care before the 50s ............................................................ 9 1.2 Obstetric violence since the 50s up to today ..................................................................................... 10 1.3 Different types of obstetric violence ................................................................................................. 11 2. Why is obstetric violence so dangerous? A medical perspective ............................................................ 14 2.1 Physical practices .............................................................................................................................. 14 2.2 Mental impact of obstetric violence .................................................................................................. 18 2.3 Women in subordination in the medical field .................................................................................... 19 2.4 Today’s characteristics ...................................................................................................................... 20 3. Reproductive rights. An historic overview .............................................................................................. 21 3.1 Reproductive Rights (not) in the MDGs but in the SDGs Agenda .................................................... 25 4. Historical and Social Context of Obstetric Violence in South America .................................................. 27 Chapter 2 Legal framework of obstetric violence: are there any rules? .......................................................... 32 1. International legal framework ................................................................................................................. 33 2. At Regional Level .................................................................................................................................... 36 3.At national level ....................................................................................................................................... 38 3.1 Venezuela .......................................................................................................................................... 39 3.2 Mexico ............................................................................................................................................... 40 3.3 Argentina ........................................................................................................................................... 42 3.4 A new trend in recognising obstetric violence? ................................................................................. 43 CHAPTER 3. Obstetric violence as a violation of human rights .................................................................... 45 1. Which human rights are violated with obstetric violence? ...................................................................... 45 The Right to Life, Liberty, and Security ................................................................................................. 46 The Right to Health ................................................................................................................................. 46 The Right to Privacy ................................................................................................................................ 49 The right to information .......................................................................................................................... 50 The Right to Equality and to be Free from Discrimination ..................................................................... 53 Discrimination against women ................................................................................................................ 54 Discrimination as a woman from rural areas and as indigenous people .................................................. 55 The Right to Not be Subjected to Torture or Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment .............................................................................................................................................. 56 1 The Right to Enjoy Scientific Progress and its application ..................................................................... 57 5. The right to maternal care. An overview ............................................................................................. 58 2.1 What does maternal care include? ..................................................................................................... 59 2.2 When is it important? ........................................................................................................................ 60 3. Is it possible to talk about institutional violence? .................................................................................... 65 3.1 Current status of the rights ................................................................................................................. 69 3.2 Discrimination within dedication ...................................................................................................... 69 4.Issues of intersectionality ......................................................................................................................... 72 4.1 Intersectionality in the access to health services ............................................................................... 73 4.2 Situation in Latin America ................................................................................................................ 74 6. Is there any international framework? ................................................................................................. 80 CHAPTER 4. Obstetric violence in the wards ................................................................................................ 89 1. Obstetric violence in concrete ............................................................................................................. 89 1.1 Venezuela. Ten years later ................................................................................................................. 90 1.2 México and its Tribunal Simbólico ................................................................................................... 91 1.3 Situation in Argentina ........................................................................................................................ 93 1.4 In Brazil ............................................................................................................................................. 94 2. The Inter-American Court and Commission of Human Rights ........................................................... 95 3. Similar cases at international level .................................................................................................... 106 4. Barriers to access to justice .................................................................................................................. 109 5. The “Maternal Mortality” Factor ........................................................................................................... 111 5.1 Who are the victims? ....................................................................................................................... 113 Chapter 5. What’s next? ................................................................................................................................ 115 1. Projects of Law .................................................................................................................................. 115 2. What's next? .......................................................................................................................................... 117 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 120 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................................... 124 Acts and Documents .................................................................................................................................. 124 International Conventions and Declarations .............................................................................................. 132 Regional Conventions and Declarations .................................................................................................... 133 Other Regional Documents ......................................................................................................................