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Rights During Childbirth

Towards respectful and dignified maternal healthcare in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, too many women still face motherhood not only with excitement and hope, but also with fear and tension related to access to respectful, informed and safe maternity care. Our national survey of nearly 700 women and 50 in-depth interviews outlined a serious, systemic crisis in the treatment of pregnant women during check-ups, childbirth and hospital stays

Violation of Rights and Lack of Awareness

Резултатите показват тревожни тенденции, които противоречат на основни човешки права и европейски здравни стандарти:

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  • High levels of violence and coercion – 34% of women reported being shouted at or humiliated during childbirth, and 42% were subjected to medical procedures without sufficient explanation and without truly informed consent.

  • Only 18% of women surveyed received complete and clear information about their birth options.

  • Bulgaria has one of the highest rates of cesarean sections in Europe – around 51% in 2024, far above the WHO recommended threshold of 10–15%.

  • Although maternal mortality is relatively low, the indicators remain less favorable than other EU countries, such as Croatia.

 

These practices undermine women's dignity, autonomy and equality – fundamental rights enshrined in European values ​​and standards for humane healthcare.

What's missing? 

Despite existing research, training, and dialogue with medical professionals, one critical gap remains unchanged: the accessibility of reliable, understandable, rights-based information for every woman in Bulgaria.

Many expectant mothers do not know what their rights are, where to seek help, how to react to pressure or insults, and how to build a partnership model of communication with medical teams.

Our solution:
Awareness and Support

With this project, we aim to create a digital library of resources including articles, videos, infographics, how-to guides, and testimonials. The project aims to:

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  • Strengthen women's knowledge and confidence

  • Raise public awareness of the problem

  • Support dialogue and collaboration with medical professionals

  • Support long-term system change

Why this matters? 

Because every woman deserves to give birth without fear, humiliation, and violence. Because respect, information, and choice are not luxuries, but rights.

The project is implemented with the support of the Netherlands Helsinki Committee under the Catalyst of Change program.

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