(CNN Philippines) — Women’s rights group Gabriela and the Quezon City local government met on Wednesday (May 27) to discuss the group’s appeal to reverse the city’s 2012 ordinance prohibiting home births.
In the said dialogue, Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) Rep. Emmi de Jesus told Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte that the Ordinance 2171, which aims to lower maternal deaths, created more problems than solutions to poor pregnant mothers.
A statement released by Gabriela on Wednesday said those who gave birth at home due to unavoidable circumstances or force majeur consequently suffer from city health providers denying vaccination services for their children.
The women’s group added that the city made birth registration difficult for noncompliant mothers.
Gabriela filed a Congress resolution last year questioning the Health department’s national policy against home births without the guarantee of “quality and accessible services” for both expectant mothers and the newborn babies.
The Philippines targets the reduction of maternal mortality ratio by 75% under the United Nations Millennium Development Goals set from 1990 to 2015.
De Jesus noted that the lack of affordable and accessible lying-in clinics defeats the city’s aim to lower maternal deaths.
She added that a better option is to hold a consultation with poor women and other stakeholders to develop “more encouraging policy and programs.”
Violation of the ordinance requires a penalty of P5,000.
