We are Doulas for Palestine
Published 19th October 2023
This is a statement of support from united doulas of the SCEE+OUK (Scotland, Cymru, Eire, England and other areas occupied as the UK) standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
We stand with all the people of Palestine, both within Palestine and the diaspora. This is inclusive of all Muslim, Christian, Jewish, non-religious etc and Arab, African etc Palestinians without discrimination. We also do not prioritise any lives based on gender or sexuality, assumed reproductive capacity or age, all Palestinian people are equally important to us and we support all.
We as doulas practising reproductive justice condemn Israel, Zionism and the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
In Gaza there are currently 50,000+ pregnant people. Data shows that one Palestinian child is murdered by Israeli soldiers every 15 minutes.
Israel has been bombing hospitals, as well as all the people currently residing in and unable to leave Palestine. Israel was found to be forcibly sterilising African immigrants without their consent. And the terror that Israel is unleashing on Palestinians and Africans is damaging people’s bodies, health and fertility, if it does not kill them first.
We need to not only see the apartheid in Palestine by Israel in isolation, we also need to connect causes. The UK government funds and works with the Israeli government. That also directly impacts us here as many of us doulas work alongside to some extent the NHS and see the defunding of the NHS, yet funds are available for the government to fund a genocide. Some UK police officers train under Israeli soldiers, the same police force that is known for maiming and murdering Black and Brown people and the working classes, for being domestic abusers, rapists and more. There are many connections between the UK and Israel, all that we need to acknowledge and condemn.
We should be calling for an NHS strike to demand that government funds go to the NHS and not to Israel or other fascist regimes worldwide, or fascist policing in the UK.
We should be doing direct actions and demonstrations to raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people and show our support for them as people, from us as people. And especially from us as parents, carers, doulas, midwives, etc.
We need to be supporting Boycott Divestment Sanctions and not using ‘Israeli’ products in our services. One that doulas may want to check is where our olive oil, our dates and fruit comes from. But BDS is also not just for our services, for our own lives too. You can see the full BDS list here.
This is a call for doulas to take local action. Figure out what works best for you and your communities and how to organise within those spaces. But also join us below so that we can all chat together.
Let’s try and see what ways we can provide our doula services and support to people in Palestine and the diaspora.
We need to stand united as doulas, we have a responsibility to be inclusive, to be internationalist, to challenge Israel and show public and proud support for Palestine and to practise reproductive justice for all, not just misunderstanding it to only show support for the privileged.
Putting your name publicly is only one small step. Please don’t do this if you are not also taking additional action (in whatever way) to show public support for Palestine. This isn’t a ‘petition’, it’s a declaration, a statement of support by any means necessary.
If you want to sign up as a DOULA add your name by filling out the Google form here:
If you want to add a NON-DOULA solidarity signature to show your support for Doulas for Palestine then fill out this Google form here:
This is an ever-evolving statement and is non-exhaustive. Let’s keep creating these resources together as doulas who support Palestine by any means necessary.
We will mainly be communicating through Instagram and Signal. Follow the IG here.
Black and Brown support to the front. Doulas must be politically and actively pro-trans inclusivity, pro-queer inclusivity, pro-Black liberation, pro-POC liberation and understand intersectionality. This is not a space for exclusionary or oppressive politics. We will be using non-gendered language unless speaking about specific people who have shared their pronouns. We will be prioritising hearing from all Palestinians FIRST, and then non-Palestinian Black people and Brown people, with others being invited to listen and learn. We all must be dedicated to using our privileges to uplift, support and centre Palestine and Palestinian people in our activism.
Signed by,
Doulas
Eshe Kiama Zuri (they/them) – @eshekiamazuri
Ammaarah Z (she/her) – @adiyahcollective
Kareem Arthur/ NANA (she/her) – @kalaurenarthur
Zachi B (she/her) – @zaz.brw
Maria Cabrera (she/her) – @mijadoula.maria
Rosie Ali/ Rosa Doula (she/her) – @rosa.doula
Robyn Leah Nalty (she/they) – @robynleahnalty
Emily (she/her) – @theneurodivergentmomsclub
Tobi Adebajo (they/Tobi)
The Humankind Doula (she/her)
Amisha/ Amisha the Birthworker (they/she) – @amishathebirthworker
Aiyana Goodfellow – @theyouthdoula @aiyana.goodfellow
Amalia Yonaki (she/her) – @amalia.yonaki
Db Doula (she/her) – @db_porter
Beti Scott – @hairyvioletherbal
Leigh Storey (she/her)
Jane Hallows (she/her) – @goodlifevintage
Cass Humphries-Massey/ Navigating the Wilderness (they/them) – @navigatingthewilderness
Kim Roberts/ The Queer Parenting Partnership (they/them) – @ParentingQueer
Lina Duncan (she/her) – @globaldoula
Veronica Lopes da Silva (she/her)
AJ Silver/ The Queer Birth Club (they/them) – @thequeerbirthclub
Solidarity Signatures
Claudia Manchanda (Claudia) – @panthermanchanda – Herbalist, Parent, Childcare Provider
Brandon Gates (they/them) – @thriftedbrandon – Carer
Caro Brouard (she/her) – @carorosaherbalist – Herbalist
Claire D (she/her) – @avocardoh – Parent, Support Worker
Scout K (they/them) – Carer
Iris Dunn (they/she) – Supporter
Berwyn Mure (he/him) – @b_mure – Supporter
Esme Duggleby (she/her) – Childcare Provider
Naomi Williams-Velody (she/her) – Supporter
Rosalie Doherty (she/her) – Parent
Savannah (they/them) – Supporter
Nicole Rose (she/her) – @solidarity.apothecary – Herbalist
Amy Bullard (she/her) – @theteapotcollective_ – Yoga Teacher
Yoga Teachers Unite For a Free Palestine – via @theteapotcollective_
Kit (they/he) – Supporter
Lucille (she/her) – Supporter
Carrie Hylas (she/they) – Supporter
Andrew Siva (they/them) – Supporter
Kate (she/they) – Supporter
Rae De Soleil (they/them) – Former NHS Worker
Miranda (she/they) – Supporter
Karen Arthur (she/her) @menopausewhilstblack @thekarenarthur – Parent
Alexia Pepper de Caires (she/they) @backtobooksbrum – Aunt
Kall (he/they) – Supporter
Helen Green (she/they) – Midwife
Katty Janneh (she/her) @kattyjanneh – Supporter
Hannah Wood (she/her) – Supporter
Fatimah (she/her) – Parent
Kalisha (they/them) – Supporter
hillary (they/them) – Childcare Provider, Community Worker
Beth Mayes (she/her) – @bettyfromthebloc – Supporter
Ellie (she/her) – @elliemcgarahan – Supporter
Phoebe Ball (they/them) – Supporter