Your September ICM Update is Here!

¡Atención, hispanohablantes! Avis aux francophones! 

The State of the World’s Midwifery (SoWMy) 2021 is now available in French and Spanish, enabling more midwives and their supporters to advocate for increased investment in midwife-led continuity of care. To access translated versions of SoWMy and corresponding SoWMy materials, simply change the language selection in the top right-hand corner of this page.  

The SoWMy 2021 report includes findings on the sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health workforce from 194 countries and calls for greater global investment in midwives. The report outlines how more midwife-led interventions could contribute to healthier families, more productive communities and a health system that can deliver comprehensive services for all. 

Access the full report: https://sowmy-unfpa-global.pantheonsite.io/sowmy-2021 

New Midwives Association in Bujumbura, Burundi

This month, ICM is proud to welcome a new Member Association from the rural province of Bujumbura in Burundi. The Midwives in Action Association (MAA) Vyara Uheke, is a youth organisation of Midwives that aims to innovate the state of maternal and sexual and reproductive healthcare in the country. 

ICM spoke with midwife Augustin Aarushimana from the MAA Vyara Uheke about their newly awarded membership: 

“Being part of the ICM for MAA means carrying the voice as far as possible for reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health in Burundi,” said Augustin. “Our midwifery associations will cultivate new partnerships in the countries, will mobilize the necessary resources and will improve the government's health policy for midwives, women and babies in our country.” 

Have you heard of The More Happy Birthdays (Rwanda) project? The initiative, funded by Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC), builds on the success of the 50,000 and 10,000 Happy Birthdays projects and will enable more midwives and other providers to continue saving lives at birth.  

The Rwanda Association of Midwives will train providers using the Helping Mothers Survive (Jhpiego) and the Helping Babies Survive (American Academy of Pediatrics) suite of programmes. The innovative Safe Delivery App (SDA) will be included in the project to complement the training and support workplace learning with short, frequent practice sessions, which will improve quality of care. ICM’s partner, the Maternity Foundation, has developed a robust digital monitoring and evaluation system which informs adjustments to project activities and provides evidence for the improved clinical practice and health outcomes of this approach. The project will take place from 15 August 2021 to 15 April 2022.

Be sure to stay tuned to ICM social media channels for regular updates on More Happy Birthdays. 

“What do you want most in your role as a midwife?” Share your answer as part of the What Women Want: Midwives’ Voices, Midwives’ Demands initiative and have your voice heard! 
 
What Women Want: Midwives' Voices, Midwives' Demands is surveying midwives about what they want and need to better serve women in their care and for themselves as midwives. Survey results will inform the development of targeted advocacy agendas at the country level as well as globally – to be taken forward not only by local midwives' associations, the International Confederation of Midwives, and White Ribbon Alliance, but also by gender equality, human rights, and other champions – to create real, lasting, positive change for midwives and women all over the world.