Your Voice: Barriers to Termination & Birthing Services for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women in Queensland
This community consultation initiative gathered insights from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women about barriers to reproductive healthcare. Using a trauma-informed approach, a detailed document of synthesised qualitative data was created. This document will inform the client’s future advocacy and training strategy.
About the project
Your Voice: Barriers to Termination & Birthing Services for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women in Queensland was a community consultation project developed through a partnership with Children by Choice, Queensland Health, and IM. The initiative gathered insights from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women through culturally safe, participant-led sessions, focusing on barriers to accessing birthing choices and termination care in Queensland.
Children by Choice is an independent not-for-profit organisation that has advocated for reproductive rights in Queensland for over 50 years. They are dedicated to systemic reform, capacity building, and professional education in complex reproductive topics.
The challenge
This project’s intent was to identify the systemic barriers that prevent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from accessing birthing and termination services equitably, especially in regional and remote areas where they face geographic isolation and a lack of culturally safe care.
The solution
Using IM's "Walking Together" methodology, the project laid a foundation of cultural safety, supported by trained individuals in trauma-informed discussions to gather community insights. The approach followed IAP2 core values, ensuring community contributions genuinely influenced outcomes.
To promote transparency and data sovereignty, a feedback loop provided participants with access to project findings, while respectful remuneration for contributors ensured reciprocity. Engagement and exchange were facilitated through online surveys, meetings, phone calls, and traditional notetaking to foster an equitable environment for diverse voices.
The results
The project produced a synopsis document of compiled and synthesised interview responses for the client. The information will guide their advocacy work with Qld Health and their professional training focuses. Beyond the report, the initiative created a safe platform for community voices to be heard and to influence healthcare decisions affecting them.
Project services: engagement, research-and-evaluation
