Dear friends and colleagues,

As some of you might have heard the Dean of the University of São Paulo (USP) has threatened to close the Midwifery course (the only one in the country) in 2012. 

As activists and researchers in the field of healthcare and women's sexual and reproductive rights, we know that what Brazil needs today - after achieving universal health care - is to invest in the capability of healthcare professionals to facilitate physiological, respectful birth, reducing the unacceptable high rates of episiotomies, labour inductions, Kristeller manouvers and other obsolete interventions, which are aggressive, risky and painful. 

This scenario coupled with the institutional gender violence and disrespect for the right of women to have companions during labour and birth, causes many women to escape abuse preferring an unnecessary caesarean, with all the risks for mother and baby. 

The midwife is the university-level professional who assists healthy women during birth in many countries, and this model is associated with better maternal and neonatal outcomes. Brazil needs midwives urgently working in a comprehensive, integrated care system, especially now that we are asking the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of increased rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, and the reasons why there is so much violence in childbirth.

If you care about changing this scenario, I ask you to sign the petition calling for the maintenance of the direct entry midwifery course in USP:

For those in SP: We also invite you for the demonstration at the door of the USP Deanery, on 22/03 at 9:00 am

I also ask if this issue resonates with you, invite friends and colleagues, and disseminate this information in social networks.

Warmest regards and prepare your posters and manifestos, on the 22^nd we will go to the streets, and it will be our day of rage.