Midwives, social recovery and the politics of health in Aceh, Indonesia

How do healthcare workers care for their communities during periods of violence and social recovery? This project addresses this question by documenting the experiences of midwives in the Indonesian province of Aceh during a period of conflict (1976-2005) and up to the present. As one of the first ethnographic studies to examine the roles played by local healthcare workers in times of violence and recovery, this project aims to develop new insight into the relationship between health, violence and social inequality. The outcomes are expected to support efforts to reduce Aceh’s high rates of infant and maternal mortality, and to identify new ways to understand and address the complex health inequalities that face many contemporary societies.