The study, which involved over 2,600 women from 16 countries and territories in the region, was conducted in partnership with UNFPA.
Among the respondents, 67% reported experiencing at least one form of mistreatment during medical procedures or childbirth.
Florence Bauer, the regional director of UNFPA, emphasized that these results are a serious warning signal. She stated that every woman deserves the highest level of medical care, which should include respectful treatment.
“Obstetric violence is not just a medical issue. It is also a human rights violation that can leave women in a state of stress and helplessness, which in turn can have long-term consequences for their health,” Bauer added.
Coercion without consent
According to the report, nearly half of the respondents (48.1%) noted that they underwent medical interventions without their informed consent. This includes procedures such as episiotomy, cesarean section, and administration of oxytocin.Additionally, one in ten women reported physical or sexual violence during childbirth or gynecological examinations. 12% of respondents mentioned that they were restricted in movement, such as being tied to a bed, while 10.4% faced various forms of sexual violence, including inappropriate touching and more serious assaults.
More than 53% of survey participants had never heard the term "obstetric violence," and only 2% of those who experienced such treatment reported it officially. Reasons for not reporting often include distrust of complaint systems and fear of consequences.
Regional characteristics
In Central Asia, issues of obstetric violence are discussed less frequently than in European countries. The highest percentage of women unfamiliar with the concept of "obstetric violence" was recorded in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, where about two-thirds of respondents are unaware of this phenomenon.The authors of the study noted that cultural and social factors in the region may partially explain this situation, as traditional views on women's roles and childbirth may hinder discussions of cases of mistreatment.
Differences in the level of violations are also observed among countries. For example, in Albania, Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Kosovo, women reported discrimination, verbal and physical violence, as well as issues within the healthcare system more frequently.
In Tajikistan, 31.8% of women reported verbal abuse during childbirth, while 22.7% reported physical violence. In Ukraine, 34% of mothers noted low quality of medical care, including violations of privacy and insufficient qualifications of staff.
Sexual violence was reported by 19% of surveyed women in Serbia and 16.2% in Moldova.
The need for action
As measures necessary to address this issue, the report suggests the adoption of appropriate legislation, improvement of medical professionals' training, informing women of their rights, creating accountability mechanisms, and conducting public awareness campaigns.“Respectful treatment should be the standard, not an additional option in quality medical care,” concluded Florence Bauer. She noted that eliminating systemic barriers will help ensure safe and dignified conditions for every woman during childbirth.
Photo on the main page is illustrative: © UNICEF / A. Kim.
