Indigenous Maya Maternal Health & Rights

Event Details

Indigenous Maya women and children are disproportionately affected by an underfunded Guatemalan health system with poor coverage in the country’s rural, predominantly Indigenous communities. Traditional Indigenous Maya midwives known as ‘comadronas’ steadfastly continue to help fill those gaps. Drawing from traditional knowledge and practices and from updated health training supported by projects like Horizons of Friendship’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) initiative, they help improve women and children’s health – despite the challenges.

Join two visiting Indigenous Maya K’iche’ and Kaqchikel women who will share the knowledge and experiences of comadronas, while recounting their struggle for the rights of not only traditional midwives, but all Indigenous Maya peoples too.

Veronica Mazariegos is one of the project’s lead comadrona trainers supporting the Guatemalan Ministry of Health’s comadrona training program in the province of Totonicapán. Antonia Buch is herself a comadrona, as well as a Spiritual Guide or ‘Ajquij’ who has advocated for the social, political and cultural rights of Indigenous Maya peoples and comadronas at the provincial, national and international level.

This exchange visit, as well as the overall MNCH project, is financially supported by the Government of Canada.

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