How to criminalise birth with Bashi Kumar-Hazard

How to criminalise birth with Bashi Kumar-Hazard

From Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond by PBB Media Incorporated

November 4, 2025 · 40 min

About this episode

Sally discusses the implications of South Australian legislation on women's rights in childbirth with Dr Bashi Kumar-Hazard.

Sally speaks with Dr Bashi Kumar-Hazard, lawyer and Board Chair of Human Rights in Childbirth International about the South Australian legislation that the Australian College of Midwives and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have called to be enacted across the country. This legislation seeks to prohibit "unlicensed and unregulated persons from undertaking the management of labour and birth".. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1G2brGjDA9/ Bashi argues that this will have the effect of impacting women's human rights to birth wherever and with whomever they choose, as it already is in South Australia. Instead, Bashi asks why governments and lobby groups aren't exploring what it is about their practice that has women choosing to avoid going to hospital. Human Rights in Childbirth and Maternity Choices Australia have collaborated, along with maternity advocacy groups from around the country, to publish the following media release: https://www.maternitychoices.org.au/post/maternity-advocacy-groups-around-the-country-rally-together-to-protect-women-s-rights-in-birth Links: https://www.humanrightsinchildbirth.org/ www.maternitychoices.org.au…

People in this episode

Host: Sally Cusack

Guest: Dr Bashi Kumar-Hazard

Topics covered

  • birth rights
  • legislation
  • maternity advocacy
  • human rights
  • hospital birth choices

Keywords

  • birth
  • legislation
  • human rights
  • maternity
  • hospital
  • advocacy
  • women's rights

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Human Rights in Childbirth International, Australian College of Midwives, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Human Rights in Childbirth, Maternity Choices Australia

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