In occasion of the International Day of the Midwife, the United Nations Population Fund and the International Confederation of Midwives emphasized the importance of the role of midwives in a joint statement.
- Midwifes contribute with their work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, targets A and B, by 2015 and beyond.
- In addition to their work, caring for women during and after childbirth, to ensure safe deliveries and providing essential newborn care, midwives provide a wide range of assistance in humanitarian emergencies.
- Midwives are also key to ensuring universal access to voluntary family planning. This alone could help prevent 87 million unintended pregnancies—so many of which result in unsafe abortions in developing countries—and close to a third of all maternal deaths. About 222 million women want to delay or avoid pregnancies but lack the modern means to do so.
We urge all nations to work together to address the inequalities and
inaccessibility of midwifery services. We encourage them to support
quality training, innovative technologies and an enabling environment
for midwives to match the vital role they play in communities and
societies, especially in developing countries.
On this International Day of the Midwife, UNFPA and ICM reiterate
their commitment to investments to strengthen quality midwifery, which
will, in turn, promote healthier families, communities and nations.
 |
| WHO - Maternal Mortality Statistics |
Links