Birth Forward project lead
RespectMi
Advancing equitable and culturally sensitive maternity care in Cyprus.
RespectMi is a national initiative led by Birth Forward to promote health equity and strengthen respectful, informed, and culturally aware maternity care for migrant and refugee mothers in Cyprus.
About the project
RespectMi is a national initiative dedicated to advancing health equity and promoting culturally sensitive maternity care for migrant and refugee mothers in Cyprus. Led by Birth Forward in collaboration with the Cyprus Refugee Council, the project works to identify and address gaps in access to maternity care while strengthening women’s knowledge of their rights and supporting services to respond more respectfully and effectively.
Through research, community-based empowerment programmes, and targeted advocacy, RespectMi seeks to amplify the voices of migrant women, strengthen collaboration between civil society and health institutions, and contribute to a maternity care system grounded in dignity, inclusion, and human rights.
Why it matters
Access is not equal for everyone
Migrant and refugee mothers may face language barriers, limited information, discrimination, unfamiliar systems, and reduced access to appropriate support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Rights need to be understood and upheld
Respectful care depends not only on policy, but on women having clear information about their rights and on services being able to recognise and respond to those rights in practice.
Cultural responsiveness improves care
Maternity services are stronger when they are informed, inclusive, and able to respond to different cultural realities with dignity, safety, and respect.
Focus areas
01
Mapping barriers and identifying needs
The project examines barriers to access in maternity services and identifies the needs and realities experienced by migrant and refugee mothers in Cyprus.
02
Rights-based information and empowerment
RespectMi supports migrant and refugee mothers with accessible information, practical guidance, and rights-based empowerment to help them navigate maternity care more confidently.
03
Capacity-building for professionals
The initiative develops tools and resources that can help professionals and service providers deliver more respectful, culturally aware, and informed care.
04
Advocacy and collaboration
RespectMi works to strengthen alliances between civil society and health institutions and to support advocacy that improves cultural responsiveness and equity in maternity care.
How the project works
Research and listening
The project gathers evidence on barriers, experiences, and service gaps in order to better understand how maternity care is accessed and experienced by minority women.
Community-based empowerment
RespectMi centres women’s voices through information-sharing, empowerment activities, and practical support that strengthens confidence, agency, and informed choice.
Advocacy for systemic change
By connecting community insight with institutional dialogue, the project helps push for more inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive maternity care systems.
Partnership
RespectMi is led by Birth Forward and implemented in collaboration with the Cyprus Refugee Council. The partnership brings together expertise in respectful maternity care, rights-based advocacy, community engagement, and direct work with migrant and refugee communities.
Birth Forward
Project lead, advocacy, maternity rights, community engagement, and dissemination.
Cyprus Refugee Council
Partner expertise on refugee rights, community access, and barriers affecting migrant women.
Birth Forward’s role
As project lead, Birth Forward guides the strategic direction of RespectMi and brings its expertise in respectful maternity care, rights-based communication, advocacy, and community engagement.
Through this work, Birth Forward supports a more inclusive maternity care system in Cyprus, one that recognises difference, reduces exclusion, and places dignity and human rights at the centre of care.
Project visibility
Consortium and funding visibility
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