In the light of these considerations, the Assembly calls on
Council of Europe member States to:
8.1 prevent and combat discrimination on whatever grounds
in access to health care in general;
8.2 ensure that care is provided in a manner that respects
human rights and human dignity, during medical consultations, treatment
and childbirth;
8.3 call on the ministries responsible for health and equality
to collect data on medical procedures during childbirth and cases
of gynaecological and obstetrical violence, to undertake studies
on this subject and to make them public;
8.4 disseminate the good practices promoted by WHO and ask
national medical associations to discuss this issue and make recommendations
to prevent gynaecological and obstetrical violence, in particular
through a commission to promote a caring approach in gynaecology;
8.5 conduct information and awareness-raising campaigns on
patients’ rights and on preventing and combating sexism and violence
against women, including gynaecological and obstetrical violence;
8.6 enact and implement legislation on the informed consent
of patients and their right to information at the various stages
of medical procedures, if this has not yet been done;
8.7 ensure appropriate funding for health-care facilities
so as to ensure decent working conditions for care providers, respectful
and caring reception of patients and women in labour and access
to pain relief;
8.8 provide specific training for obstetricians and gynaecologists
and raise awareness of gynaecological and obstetrical violence as
part of this training;
8.9 ensure that the training of doctors, midwives and nurses
attaches particular importance to the relationship between care
providers and patients, the concept of informed consent, equality
between women and men, the reception of LGBTI persons, persons with
disabilities and vulnerable persons, communication, the prevention
of sexism and violence, and the promotion of a humane approach to care;
8.10 propose specific and accessible reporting and complaint
mechanisms for victims of gynaecological and obstetrical violence,
within and outside hospitals, including with ombudspersons;
8.11 provide for a mechanism to examine complaints about gynaecological
and obstetrical violence excluding any mediation, and provide for
sanctions, if this is not yet the case, against health-care professionals
when a complaint about this kind of violence is proven;
8.12 offer a support service to victims of gynaecological and
obstetric violence and ensure that care is provided;
8.13 for those States that have not yet done so, sign, ratify
and implement the Istanbul Convention;
8.14 implement Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)1 of the Committee
of Ministers on preventing and combating sexism.
