Resumo

ROMERO ZEPEDA, Jorge Adán. Gender Empowerment Promotion in a Native Population in Queretaro, Mexico, through Reproductive Health Outreach by Midwives. Estud. soc [online]. 2012, vol.20, n.40, pp.293-312. ISSN 0188-4557.

Field work information shows that traditional midwives have acted directly to enforce women's rights. They shared a common vision, in which women have equal rights in all sorts of areas, not only in their private space, but in marriage relations, as well. That information affirms the importance that collaboration in housework and child care should be shared by equal parts between wife and husband. Decisions about sexuality and family planning must be taken in an open and consensual fashion. Midwives have sufficient authority in the community to influence people private life, and repeatedly they confront male authority in domestic issues, without being intimidated by the resulting conflict.

Palavras-chave : Midwife; reproductive health; sexuality; indigenous; women empowerment; domestic violence.