Too many Indigenous families are experiencing preventable harm and death in high income countries such as Canada, United States, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. Even one is too many.

Indigenous families continue to experience culturally unsafe and fragmented systems of care that perpetuate racist, traumatic, and other harmful healthcare experiences. These structural inequalities contribute to higher rates of avoidable death and harm in relation to pregnancy. This cannot continue. To call for urgent reforms that dismantle inequities please sign and share this petition.

The Alliance for Perinatal and Reproductive Justice calls on the Canadian, United States, Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand governments to:

1. Dismantle the systemic structural barriers resulting in health inequities in the form of avoidable death and harm during the perinatal period;
2. Address the inequitable representation of Indigenous peoples in the healthcare workforce; 
3. Eliminate anti-Indigenous racism; 
4. Build relationships with Indigenous peoples based on a recognition of Indigenous individuals’ Human Rights and Indigenous peoples’ collective rights.

Please sign this petition to call for governments to address the inequities faced by Indigenous peoples.

The full statement and Call to Action published by a collective of Indigenous and non-Indigenous physicians, nurses, midwives, researchers, Elders, Knowledge Holders, and advocates can be found at www.perinataljustice.org

This is led by joint primary authors Professor Bev Lawton (Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti), Professor Yvette Roe (Ngykena, Yawuru), and Dr Alexandra King (member of the Nipissing First Nation, Ontario).

In addition to individual signing of this petition, endorsement from organizations is welcome and can be detailed here. Email info@perinataljustice.org to find out more.

Author organisations: 

• Te Tātai Hauora o Hine | The National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa (Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• The Molly Wardaguga Research Centre (Faculty of Health, Charles Darwin University, Australia).
• Pewaseskwan (The Indigenous Wellness Research Group, University of Saskatchewan, Canada).
• First Nations Health & Social Secretariat of Manitoba (Winnipeg, Canada).
• Ongomiizwin Research (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada).
• Faculty of Health Sciences (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada).
• Te Kura i Awarua Māori Research Centre (Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Well Living House, Unity Health Toronto and DLSPH/DFCM, University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada).
• University of Toronto Alumni of Factor - Inwentash Faculty of Social Work's Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency Field of Study (British Columbia, Canada).
• Kōhatu Centre for Hauora Māori (University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Department of Women’s and Children’s Health (University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, United States).
• Indigenous Health Equity Unit (University of Melbourne, Australia).
• Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto (Toronto, Canada).
• University of Victoria (Victoria, British Colombia, Canada).
• Ngā Maia Trust (Aotearoa New Zealand).
• National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research (Australian National University, Australia).
• Te Whatu Ora - Te Matau a Māui - (Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Waminda South Coast Women's Health and Wellbeing Corporation (New South Wales, Australia).
• Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (University of Washington, United States).
• Mana Wāhine (Lower Hutt, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• School of Public Health (University of Saskatchewan, Canada).
• Te Hikuwai Rangahau Hauora | Health Services Research Centre (Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand).(Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (Australia).
• College of Nursing (University of Saskatchewan, Canada).
• Māori and Indigenous Health Innovation (University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Hakeke Productions Ltd (Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Te Whatu Ora – Waitematā (Waitematā, Aotearoa New Zealand). 

Your endorsement is welcome and will be detailed here.

Please email info@perinataljustice.org to endorse the full statement linked above and/or join our Alliance for Perinatal and Reproductive Justice.