INTERNATIONAL WEEK FOR RESPECTING CHILDBIRTH IWRC 2011 - INVITATION FOR ACTION

ENCA Hellas - Respecting Childbirth

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ENCA Hellas was created for the improvement of perinatal care in Greece, following the initiative of sensitized organizations and individuals/citizens. It represents Greece in the European Network of Childbirth Associations ENCA.

A few words about the European Network of Childbirth Associations ENCA

The European Network of Childbirth Associations was launched 1993 in Frankfurt/Germany on the initiative of the German partners "GfG" which stands for "Society for childbirth education". ENCA is a network of organisations, campaigning for improvements in perinatal care for mothers and babies. The consumer activists, parents and childbirth educators, who join ENCA, recognise the necessity of developing strategies to improve conditions in pregnancy, birth and for the post partum period throughout Europe. In all countries ENCA supports:

  • Empowerment of women
  • Family oriented birth
  • Breastfeeding
  • Midwife centred care.

In 1986 the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a list of recommendations on the appropriate use of technology for birth. Despite this, there has been a standardisation of obstetric and midwifery care in Europe based exclusively on the medical viewpoint. Women centred care and midwifery practice has been marginalised to the disadvantage of mothers and babies.

ENCA national representatives meet regularly and stay in close contact for developing action, share concerns and support each other for urgent campaigns. They help collect and circulate information, organise conferences. Each country representative is responsible for passing on information and knowledge to interested childbirth and parents' organisations in her own country.

Countries – members of the ENCA Network:

  • AUSTRIA
  • BELGIUM
  • BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA
  • BULGARIA
  • CZECH REPUBLIC
  • ENGLAND
  • FRANCE
  • GERMANY
  • GREECE
  • HUNGARY
  • ITALY
  • LITHUANIA
  • LUXEMBURG
  • NEDERLAND
  • POLAND
  • PORTUGAL
  • SLOVAKIA
  • SPAIN
  • SWITZERLAND

Activities of ENCA Hellas

ENCA Hellas intends to offer a network, to sensitize and call for action citizens, accociations and organizations that embrace respect for childbirth, in any way. Among its aims is to promote natural childbirth, to empower women, to support breastfeeding and join all efforts towards the improvement of perinatal care in Greece. More specifically, it offers:

  • A network; a way for organisations and individuals who support motherhood and act for the optimal perinatal care in Greece to meet and collaborate, to combine forces, their abilities and talents, for optimal results
  • Dissemination of knowledge and strategies that support and empower women
  • Access to the ENCA’s and other affiliated organisms’ archives, materials, publications, activities, campaigns
  • Active participation in discussions, exchange of ideas, use of other countries’ strategies for improving perinatal, maternal and infant care in Greece
  • Opportunities for action, exchange of knowledge and practice on a European level and in a European scale
  • Consultation for legal and political changes, with the intervention from other European countries that have working models of care, for the benefit of mother and child.
  • Support on a European level, contact with other European countries that may offer opportunities for extra training or work practice on perinatal care.

The network of ENCA Hellas collaborates with a number of individuals, associations and organisations in Greece, following the example of national ENCA networks from other countries, working towards the manifestation of its aims and actions. The participating organizations could include:

  • Midwife Associations, Doulas, Obstetricias, Gynaicologists
  • Natural Birth Organizations
  • Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Psychiatrists, Family Therapy Consultants
  • Breastfeeding Associations
  • Mothers’ networks
  • Perinatal Education Associations
  • Perinatal Yoga Associations
  • Homeopath/Physiotherapists/Osteopath Associations
  • Consumers’ Associations
  • Environmental Organisations
  • Protection of Children’s Rights Organisations
  • Scientific, Research groups
  • Educational groups,
  • etc...

More information

For more information on ENCA Hellas, please write to: encahellas@gmail.com, or join us at Facebook: ENCAHellas@groups.facebook.com.

If you are interested in taking an active part in the actions of ENCA Hellas, volunteer to organize events and follow and participate in the correspondence of active members, you can subscribe to our yahoo group. Please send an email to Yiannis Kalopisis at: yiannis_kps@yahoo.com so he can add you to the group.

For more information on ENCA and ENCA Hellas, please visit http://wiki.naissance.asso.fr/index.php/Enca/EuropeanNetwork?from=Enca.Enca (the official page for ENCA, http://www.enca.eu, will soon be updated), and http://wiki.naissance.asso.fr/index.php/Enca/GreekNetwork.


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