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Team,

It's been one year since the Center for Reproductive Rights, together with the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and Perkins Coie, filed a lawsuit to combat restrictions on Native Hawaiian midwifery and defend the reproductive autonomy of all pregnant people in Hawai'i. [[link removed]]

A 2019 law, intended to address some of Hawai'i’s maternal health challenges, imposed restrictive licensure requirements on midwives. But when the exemption allowing midwives to continue practicing as they had for decades expired in 2023, the true impact became clear:

* Legal confusion —vague definitions of midwifery created uncertainty for family members and birth workers like doulas and lactation counselors.
* A worsening provider shortage —cutting off access to care in rural and remote communities.
* Barriers to traditional care —threatening the network of apprenticeship-trained midwives.
* Continuing a legacy of colonial suppression —undermining Native Hawaiian traditional practices.

For Ki'i Kaho'ohanohano , the lead plaintiff in our case and a dedicated midwife for over 20 years, the impact was devastating. Since the exemption expired, she had been forced to turn away families seeking her care every single week.

“With this new law, history is repeating itself. [[link removed]] We are again on the brink of losing our people’s knowledge of sacred birthing traditions.”
— Ki'i Kaho'ohanohano

Thanks to a court order we secured this summer, Ki‘i was able to resume her practice and support her community. But the order is only temporary and limited. We’re fighting in court and the legislature to make these protections permanent—and expand them—to restore pregnant peoples’ access to skilled midwives who both protect their health and meet their cultural needs.

Cutting off communities from trusted care providers and diminishing the value of Native Hawaiian midwifery is not the way to address Hawai‘i's maternal health challenges. The solution to maternal health inequities is MORE choice and MORE reproductive autonomy—not less.

Read more about this important case and what comes next HERE. [[link removed]]

Onward,

Hillary Schneller
Senior Staff Attorney

P.S. The Center fights on behalf of Ki'i and 8 other brave plaintiffs in this case because of the support of reproductive rights advocates like you. Make a gift today to fuel our fight defending reproductive rights around the world. [[link removed]]

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