Mexico City, March 11 – An initiative has been put forth in the Mexico City Congress to designate May 6th annually as the “Day of Midwife Women in Mexico City.” The proposal aims to recognize the invaluable work and care provided by midwives during childbirth and postpartum processes, their knowledge, cosmologies, and their significant contribution to preserving the country’s traditions and culture.
Legislative Initiative to Honor Midwives
The proposal was introduced by Deputy Xóchitl Bravo Espinosa, Coordinator of the MORENA Parliamentary Group. During the presentation, Deputy Bravo Espinosa welcomed midwife women from various boroughs of Mexico City and other federative entities to the Legislative Precinct of Donceles.
“By recognizing a day for midwife women in Mexico City, we are paving the way for one of the noblest and most historically rich sectors of our culture. We are valuing their work and acknowledging the care they provide in every birth and thereafter, as they also offer attention to children from their cultural perspective and knowledge,” stated Deputy Bravo Espinosa.
Symbolism and Significance of the Proposal
During the Ordinary Session on Tuesday, Deputy Bravo Espinosa requested that other legislators wear a rebozo, a traditional Mexican shawl, which was placed on their desks. The rebozo symbolizes the work of midwife women, as they use this garment during births.
“This rebozo, used by our ancestors, our grandmothers, our mothers, is also used in midwifery. This midwifery is a testament to the struggle, because today the recognition of our midwife women has become a struggle,” she emphasized.
Bravo Espinosa highlighted that declaring this day would mark the beginning of guaranteeing access to the right to health, to cultural identity and personal integrity rights, as well as to women’s sexual and reproductive rights, and a life free from violence for girls, adolescents, young women, and adults.
“It is true that there is traditional medicine, there is medicine that is used, but we must remember the origins of how we were born in ancestral times, where women held hands; where women themselves also welcomed other women; where women helped each other to bring life to this country, to this planet, without so much suffering,” she underscored.
She further explained that midwives not only perform highly specialized work but also become true allies for women during their childbirth process.
“Midwives have helped eradicate one of the most frequent forms of violence: obstetric violence. Because the factors that most often occur in childbirth are maternal mortality, risks and complications in cesarean sections, mistreatment, and obstetric violence,” she concluded.
Next Steps in the Legislative Process
Following Xóchitl Bravo’s participation, the Board of Directors announced that several deputies requested to subscribe to the initiative. The proposal has been forwarded to the Commission on Normativity, Studies, and Parliamentary Practices for its analysis and dictation.
This initiative reflects a broader movement to acknowledge and integrate traditional practices into modern healthcare systems, ensuring that the rich cultural heritage associated with midwifery is preserved and respected.
