The #IDM2022 Advocacy Toolkit is here!

Download the Toolkit

In marking the International Day of the Midwife on 05 May 2022, we also mark ICM’s 100th anniversary and 100 years of progress for the midwifery profession. Our goal is to ensure our global community recognises that this celebration is so much more than an organisational achievement; It’s about exploring our collective and individual progress and acknowledging how far we have come. 

From the establishment of the first midwifery schools to the appointment of the first chief midwives and to the increasing numbers of direct-entry midwifery programmes and more women being able to access midwife-led continuity of care, the past 100 years have seen the most consequential achievements of our age-old profession. And while we recognise the markers of progress look radically different from one region to the next, it’s important that we save space for our collaborative efforts and what the global evidence unequivocally indicates: increased investments in midwives and midwifery have led to healthier, happier families and communities in every corner of the world. As a global workforce and as individual midwives and midwives’ associations, we must continue advancing and mobilising this evidence to ensure the next 100 years are even more monumental for midwives, women, new-borns and all people. 

IDM is an excellent opportunity to carry forward this advocacy work, and this toolkit provides the resources to do exactly that. While it’s important we leverage midwifery’s special day to amplify our life-promoting work and the causes we champion, it’s equally as essential to reserve time to celebrate– with colleagues, women and the entire profession. To that end, we hope to see you on May 5th for a global salute to midwives, an occasion that you’ll find more information about at the end of this toolkit. Until then, we encourage you to make use of this resource, not just on IDM but throughout ICM’s centennial year. 

Happy 100 years of progress, and Happy #IDM2022!

You're invited! ICM's #IDM2022 Virtual Party  

On Thursday 05 May 2022, we invite our global midwife community to tune into our #IDM2022 virtual party where will celebrate ICM's 100th anniversary and the accomplishments of our member associations around the world. 

During the event, we will: 

• Imagine what our would look like if midwives received the enabling environment they deserve and require
• Hear a collection of #MidwifeMemories from our ICM Member Associations
• Learn from our colleagues at the White Ribbon Alliance about the results of the Midwives' Voices, Midwives' Demands survey and how to leverage these results within advocacy initiatives 
• Celebrate midwives and midwifery with our colleagues from around the world! 

Please note that we will hold this event twice to accommodate time zones around the world. Feel free to RSVP to and attend whichever event best fits your schedule. We can't wait to see you there! 

Midwives for Peace: The Role of Midwives in Conflict

As tragic conflict ensues in Ukraine, midwives and other healthcare workers have stepped in to save lives and uphold human rights under the most dangerous circumstances.

More than 4,300 births have taken place in Ukraine since Russia invaded on 24 February, according to the United Nations, and 80,000 more are projected to take place over the next three months. Midwives are supporting women to birth outside of hospital, supporting victims of sexual and gender-based violence, and even treating wounded soldiers as the need arises.

Midwifery has always been inextricably connected with the pursuit of peace, and midwives have always risen to the frontlines to support women and families in the face of conflict and crisis.

ICM Statement on the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine

As a result of the conflict in Ukraine, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) in Ukraine and surrounding countries is in crisis. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), an estimated 80,000 women will give birth in the next three months in Ukraine—many of them without access to critical maternal health care. 

In times of war and civil unrest, violations of human rights are more frequent, and vulnerable groups, including women and children, often suffer disproportionally from displacement, deprivation and risk of injury and illness. Their access to healthcare is also likely to be restricted or refused. As millions of Ukrainians flee their home country, migrant and refugee women are at an increased risk of sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. Additional risks include malnutrition, poor sanitation, and lack of maternity care, including psychological care in pregnancy, labour and postpartum. 

ICM believes the rights of women, new-borns and children should be protected and upheld under all circumstances, and that it is only in peaceful situations that families can thrive. ICM therefore condemns all acts of war. 

ICM recognises the courage of our Member Associations and midwives all over Europe, who—under the most difficult of circumstances—continue to provide care for women and their new-borns.

New ICM e-Learning Platform aims to transform access to professional development for midwives

Through its bi-annual member survey, MAs representing every ICM region called out the need for improved and accessible professional development opportunities. We have responded by creating and launching the ICM eLearning Platform, now available to all midwives, midwives’ associations, midwife educators, regulatory authorities and other ICM stakeholders. The free-to-access platform currently features five modules:

• Orientation to ICM
• Respectful Maternity Care
• Financial Strengthening of Midwives’ Associations
• Mentoring
• Advocacy 

The eLearning Platform is a forever-evolving professional resource. ICM plans to work with partners, including its Members Associations and experts in digital learning to continually create new modules relevant and responsive to the evolving midwifery landscape.

Bali 2023: Call for Abstracts for ICM's 2023 Congress is now open!

We are excited to return to ICM’s 2023 Congress with a face-to-face format in June 2023 under the theme “Together again from evidence to reality.” 

We are calling for abstracts for oral presentations, workshops, three-minute thesis sessions and posters. Sessions will be recorded and after the Congress concludes the recorded sessions will be available ‘on demand’ for participants who are unable to attend the Congress in Bali. 

Following the launch of the new ICM Professional Framework for Midwifery in 2021 we are keen to receive abstracts that relate to one or more of the ten elements of the framework: 

• Midwifery Philosophy 
• Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice 
• Midwifery Education 
• Midwifery Regulation 
• Midwives’ Associations 
• Research 
• Midwife-led continuity of care model of practice 
• Midwifery Leadership 
• Enabling Environment 
• Commitment to Gender Equality and Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

In addition to these areas, we are of course eager for abstracts on midwifery practice, including workshops to advance practical skills. We also look forward to receiving abstracts on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on midwives, midwifery services and women. 

We encourage you to submit your abstracts and join us in Bali in 2023 for the largest gathering of midwives any of us will have seen for years.

Coming up soon: ICM Council Meeting

ICM is pleased to invite its Member Associations to the annual ICM Council Meeting, which will take place on 21 and 22 June 2022. An invitation letter was sent to all Member Associations on 10 March. 

If your association has not received the letter, please contact us at council@internationalmidwives.org. 

Board Briefer - March 2022

Dear partners and colleagues, greetings from the Board once again.
Below, we will share updates from our last Board meeting. Enjoy!

As usual, we started by taking a look at our action list, to make sure we keep track of the progress of actions agreed at Board meetings. All actions were either completed or on track. The key points we discussed were:

1. Approval of Council Agenda 2022: The annual ICM Council Meeting will take place on 21st and 22nd June 2022 via a virtual platform. The meetings will be used for presentations, discussions and online voting. Good news: Discussion will also take place in the online discussion forums on the Council Platform before the meetings; on the other hand, interpretation into English/French/Spanish will be available. The Board approved the agenda.
2. Review of 2021 annual report: Each year, ICM prepares an Annual Report for Council about key achievements and progress against the ICM Strategic Plan and this includes reporting on the financial status of ICM along with the details of the finances making comparisons against the previous financial year as well as the approved budget. This report is audited by our external auditors before it comes to Council. The Board approved the Annual Report and financial statements for presentation to Council.
3. Potential Membership suspensions: The Board is responsible for considering the suspension of Member Associations in keeping with the ICM By-laws and now governance policy.  This is always a last resort as engagement occurs with affected Member Associations. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic affected many Member Associations as some stopped charging their own members, and  many midwives' partners have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and had financial challenges. In this sense, some associations are being assisted by our membership managers with  personalised offers for help and  development of payment plans. It is hoped that minimal members will be brought for Council approval to suspend.
4. Our regional meetings are still underway! We appreciate the valuable contributions of the Member Associations that have already participated and we look forward to hearing from you with the meetings that have yet to take place.

Thank you very much for your commitment to stay informed.