Roundtable on Law No. 33/2025: A Key Step in Advancing Respectful Maternity Care in Portugal

On June 2, 2025, a significant roundtable was held in Lisbon to address a major legislative breakthrough in the field of reproductive rights and maternity care in Europe. The event, organized by nascer.pt, took place at the ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, one of IPOV’s Portuguese partner institutions, and focused on the recent approval of Law No. 33/2025, which, for the first time, explicitly includes the term obstetric violence in national legislation—both in Portugal and across the European Union.

This landmark legal recognition marks a decisive step forward in how governments can acknowledge, prevent, and address mistreatment during childbirth, aligning with long-standing recommendations from international human rights and public health bodies.

A Forum for Multidisciplinary Dialogue

Entitled “The Emergence of Obstetric Violence in the Portuguese Legal Framework: Discussing Law No. 33/2025”, the roundtable gathered stakeholders from diverse sectors to examine the law’s origins, its parliamentary journey, and the challenges and opportunities it creates for health professionals, institutions, and women themselves.

Speakers included:

• Marisa Matias, Member of the European Parliament (Bloco de Esquerda)
• Inês de Sousa Real, Member of the Portuguese Parliament (Pessoas–Animais–Natureza – PAN)
• Raquel Costa, Professor and Executive Director of HEI-LAB at Universidade Lusófona
• Sara Proença, OB/GYN and trade union leader
• Isabel Ferreira, Specialist Nurse in Maternal and Obstetric Health, affiliated with UTERUS and IPOV
• Carla Santos, representative of the Portuguese Observatory of Obstetric Violence (OVO-PT)

Although IPOV – RESPECTFUL CARE was not directly involved in organizing or sponsoring the event, we recognized its value as a platform for reflection and public debate. Our team member Ana attended the session to gather insights and report back to our international network of researchers and practitioners.

Why This Law Matters for Europe

Portugal’s Law No. 33/2025 sets a precedent in Europe by legally naming obstetric violence, opening the door to accountability, institutional change, and broader public awareness. This is a powerful development in line with IPOV’s core mission: to promote respectful, evidence-based, and rights-oriented maternity care across borders.

This law:

• Acknowledges obstetric violence as a systemic issue, not merely isolated incidents
• Affirms the rights of women to dignity, autonomy, and informed consent during childbirth
• Creates legal and policy pathways for transforming maternity care systems
• Stimulates dialogue and training within the healthcare professions

For a more in-depth legal and ethical analysis, we invite you to read our dedicated article on this topic:
👉 Obstetric Violence Recognised in Portuguese National Law

IPOV’s Commitment to Transformative Care

The IPOV – RESPECTFUL CARE project is a multi-country, interdisciplinary initiative funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Horizon Europe framework. Our objective is to foster international collaboration in research, training, and policy to advance maternity care that respects human rights and is free from coercion, discrimination, or violence.

We believe that respectful care must be embedded in both clinical practice and policy, and that transnational collaboration is key to achieving systemic change. The recent developments in Portugal reinforce the urgency and direction of our work.

📌 More information about the roundtable:
https://nascer.pt/2025/05/16/mesa-redonda-o-surgimento-da-violencia-obstetrica-no-enquadramento-juridico-portugues-a-lei-no-33-2025-em-discussao/

📢 Stay connected with IPOV for ongoing updates on legal reforms, research dissemination, and collaborative actions to promote respectful maternity care throughout Europe and beyond.