Birthrights

Birthrights is the leading authority on the rights of women and birthing people during pregnancy and birth in the UK and our work has never been more urgent. Our work is critical to not only transforming the experiences and outcomes for individuals, but also in shifting wider policy, practice and systems.

www.birthrights.org.uk/ Fundraise for us

info@birthrights.org.uk

Registered charity no. 1151152

Member since June 2021

Latest News

Birthrights' new 10 year strategic framework

Birthrights' new 10-year strategic framework draws inspiration from the incredible work of so many others working for birth justice, reproductive justice and racial justice across the world and throughout time. It details the vision, mission and need driving our work for the next 10 years, as well as the focus of our core priorities as an organisation.

Read our new strategic framework here.

About us

The maternity system in the UK is in crisis and the experiences and outcomes for many women and birthing people, and their babies, are alarming.

Through a combination of the below activities we contribute to the movements for birth justice and reproductive justice, and we move closer to a world where women and birthing people can access safe maternity care that fully respects their right to bodily autonomy and self- agency, free from discrimination, coercion and violence.

What we do: • Champion human rights, by empowering and supporting women and birthing people; • Train healthcare professionals; • Hold systems and institutions to account (including through strategic litigation and using the law strategically); • Make visible the diverse experiences of maternity care.

Who we are: Birthrights was established in 2013 by former barrister Elizabeth Prochaska and doula and writer Rebecca Schiller. Over ten years we have grown from a tiny volunteer-led organisation to the UK’s leading authority on the rights of women and birthing people during pregnancy and birth.

In January 2023, Birthrights welcomed new co-CEOs Shanthi Gunesekera and Janaki Mahadevan. Shanthi and Janaki bring their lived experience of discrimination, pregnancy loss and birth, and a strong commitment to social justice and centring racial justice in all Birthrights’ work.

Find out more: • Read our 10-year strategic framework in the 'News' section to understand our full mission, vision and core priorities. • Find out more about our advice, factsheets, campaigning and training on our website: www.birthrights.org.uk. • Sign up to the Birthrights newsletter to receive our news and updates direct in your inbox each month: https://bit.ly/birthnewsletter