To Promote Culturally Sensitive Maternity Care, Unsri and the University of Queensland Launch an International Collaboration

This important online meeting brought together academics and leaders from both institutions to discuss the implementation of research aimed at improving the quality and cultural sensitivity of maternal health care services in Indonesia.

The research implementation agenda was officially opened with remarks from Prof. Dr. dr. Radiyati Umi Partan, Sp-PD., K—R., M.Kes., Vice Rector for Research, Community Empowerment, Innovation, Commercialization, and Information Technology at Sriwijaya University, who emphasized the importance of Respectful Maternity Care as a bridge between global best practices and Indonesia’s socio-cultural wisdom.

The main session continued with an in-depth research presentation by Associate Professor Dr. Jenny Munro from the University of Queensland. The event was also facilitated by the Subdirectorate for Internationalization, Najmah, PhD, who played a key role in ensuring smooth discussions and coordination among countries and leading the research team at the Palembang site.

This research adopts a qualitative-ethnographic approach spanning the period from 2025 to 2028, aiming to thoroughly document the experiences of Indonesian women in accessing maternity care services.

The study involves a total of 140 narrative interviews with mothers, health workers, caregivers, and policymakers. Focusing on diverse cultural contexts, this research is conducted in four main locations: Palembang (Malay/Islamic), Pekalongan (Javanese/Islamic), Manado, and Nabire (Eastern Indonesia/Christian).

This cross-regional comparative analysis is crucial for uncovering sociocultural barriers and systemic inequalities in maternal health care.

This collaborative research, funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through a Discovery Project, not only focuses on medical dimensions but also explicitly explores the social and cultural contexts surrounding pregnancy and childbirth care, in line with support for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being. 

The discussion during the research implementation session was productive, featuring valuable contributions from several Unsri experts, namely Prof. M. Said (Head of the Unsri Research and Community Service Institute/LPPM), Prof. Hamzah Hasyim (Secretary of LPPM), and Prof. Filli Pratama (Director of Cooperation, Internationalization, and Alumni Affairs).

In addition, the Sub-Coordinator for International Cooperation, Dr. Shanti Dwita Lestari, and the Sub-Coordinator for International Student Mobility, Abu Kosim, SE, MM, Ak, were present. The presence of key figures such as the Vice Rector III, the Head of the Unsri Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), and the Director of Cooperation, Internationalization, and Alumni at Unsri demonstrates the institution’s commitment to supporting this research with global impact.