Bahareh Goodarzi, a midwife, researcher, and educator, is affiliated with our research institute and is actively working to create a more just and equitable maternity care system. In her book Baren buiten de box, Goodarzi discusses the systemic discrimination embedded in Dutch obstetric care. She argues that unconscious biases and ingrained racism affect the way care is provided, particularly for women from marginalized backgrounds.
Her own journey into questioning these issues began after witnessing the Black Lives Matter protests and realizing how pervasive prejudice is, even in maternity care. As a midwife, Goodarzi admits to having unknowingly discriminated against patients in the past, such as by refusing to speak Persian to Iranian patients, despite sharing their background. This sparked a critical reflection on how many people—care professionals included—are unaware of their biases.
Goodarzi's research has shown that women with a non-Western migration background, among other marginalized groups, often receive less respectful and sometimes harmful care. She urges her colleagues in healthcare to stop ignoring these disparities and instead engage in dialogue and action to address systemic discrimination in the maternity care sector.
To read the full interview with Bahareh Goodarzi, click here.
Photo credits: Marcel Bakker