Single Review on past events

We invited you to a public talk by Abena Yalley (Postdoctoral Fellow / Literature & Politics and Public Administration) entitled

"Abuse and Humiliation in the Delivery Room: Patterns and Dynamics of Obstetric Violence in Ghana"

on Wednesday, 7 December.

Abstract:

Obstetric violence, conceptualized as the abuse and mistreatment of women during pregnancy and delivery has been recognized as a threat to women’s reproductive health.  It is a major barrier to women's use of health facilities, increasing the risk of preventable complications and maternal mortality. Obstetric violence is particularly humiliating, reducing women’s autonomy over their bodies and the reproductive process. Although the phenomenon is gaining worldwide attention, there is yet limited evidence of the depths and dynamics of obstetric violence in Ghana where maternal mortality is excessively high and skilled birthing is on a decline. This study interrogates the phenomenon from a wider perspective using a larger sample size of 2164 to measure the magnitude and qualitative interviews to investigate the drivers. This public lecture aims to answer the following intriguing questions: What is the magnitude of obstetric violence in Ghana? How does obstetric violence manifest in Ghana and which categories of women are more vulnerable to abuse?  Why do healthcare professionals abuse women? How is obstetric violence perceived by healthcare workers? Does gender inequality within health systems contribute to women’s experiences of abuse?

Convener/Speaker:
Abena Yalley, Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz

Collaborators:
Prof. Anke Hoeffler, Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz
Dr. Seth Christopher Aphiah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Kirsten Mahlke, Literature, Arts and Media Studies, University of Konstanz