#IDM2023, ICM Triennial Congress, and more!

In case you missed it... The #IDM2023 theme is ‘Together again: from evidence to reality’

This theme is a nod to the upcoming 33rd ICM Triennial Congress where our global midwife community will come together for the first time in more than five years. It is also honours the efforts of midwives and their associations to action critical evidence like the State of the World’s Midwifery (SoWMy) 2021 towards meaningful change for our profession and the women and families we care for.

Here’s what you can expect for this year’s IDM:

Stay tuned for our annual IDM toolkit which we will publish in early February. Check out last year’s toolkit for a taste of what you can expect from this year’s version.
Within the toolkit, you will find details about our digital IDM event. This year, our event on 5 May will focus on providing midwives belonging to our MAs with a platform to share stories and key learnings from their impactful advocacy initiatives.
To promote your own association's IDM 2023 activities, inform ICM of your plans by filling out the form.
And finally, we will soon announce our first-ever IDM contest which will bring together two major moments in the upcoming year, IDM and the 2023 Congress. That’s all the hints we’re sharing for now. ;)

Stay tuned to this space for more IDM-related news and resources! In the meantime, share the IDM theme with your community.

ICM launches Twin to Win pilot project

Just before the New Year, midwives from around the world descended on Casablanca, Morocco to participate in kick-off meetings for the first-ever Twin to Win pilot project. Over the next two years, six midwives' associations will form three pairs, and within those pairs, they will support each other to design and execute collaborative and individual projects with the ultimate goal of strengthening midwifery in their respective countries.

The Twin to Win pilot project was developed in response to ICM midwives’ associations asking for more association-strengthening activities. Unlike other twinning projects, Twin to Win matches MAs from similar social and economic contexts to establish non-hierarchal, mutually beneficial relationships between the sets of Twins. ICM will take a backseat role in the project by facilitating workshops and regular progress check-ins, enabling the Twins to work independently and in consideration of their existing workloads.

We are pleased to include MAs from the following countries in the pilot project:

Burundi and Uganda (English-speaking)
Senegal and Mali (French-speaking)
Guatemala and Costa Rica (Spanish-speaking)

What is Twinning?

Twinning is a cross-cultural, reciprocal process where two groups of people work together to achieve joint goals (Cadee, F. 2020). The method has been recognised as an effective way to improve the quality of midwifery care in health systems by means of building the leadership capacity of midwives from both professional associations involved in the partnership.

Read the full story >>

Learn more about Twin to Win >>

Plenary Sessions announced for ICM’s 33rd Triennial Congress in Bali

The Plenary Sessions at ICM Triennial Congresses are often the highlight of the event, bringing together midwives and other experts from around the world to unpack the issues and ideas our community members care about. We’re pleased to share the topics for this year’s Plenary Sessions which are designed to inspire solutions-oriented conversations on the evolving role of midwives and midwifery and ensuring the profession’s longevity and relevance. Each session will connect back to our Congress theme, ‘Together again: from evidence to reality’ as a nod to the overwhelming body of research supporting midwifery care, and the need to turn this evidence into action that produces better health outcomes for women and all people.

So, without further ado, here are the Plenary Sessions for the 33rd ICM Triennial Congress:

Plenary Session #1: Realising the top demands of midwives – a pathway towards better pay, and a happier, healthier midwifery workforce.
Plenary Session #2: The last healthcare professionals standing – an exploration of the role of midwives in humanitarian and fragile settings
Plenary Session #3: The next 100 years of ICM and midwifery – strategies for ensuring greater support, inclusivity and representation for our global community of midwives

Learn more about each Plenary Session >>

Laos becomes first ASEAN Nation to achieve International Accreditation of Midwifery Education

In 2022, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) chose the Colleges of Laos to be part of the second pilot project for the Midwifery Education Accreditation Programme (MEAP). Today, they have become the first of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to ensure the delivery of top-quality education and achieve the International Accreditation of Midwifery Education.

The ICM’s Midwifery Education Accreditation Programme (MEAP)—funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation—is a key regulatory and educational mechanism that serves to assess whether pre-service midwifery education programmes meet the ICM’s global education standards. MEAP offers accreditation approval based on an independent assessment of an institute’s midwifery educational programme(s) to determine the extent to which it meets ICM standards. MEAP not only serves as a quality label, but also enables consistent midwifery education processes and graduate outcomes.

Read the full story >>

Would you or someone you know make a good candidate for a position on the ICM Board?

It’s that time again; The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is seeking new, competent candidates for its Board. The ICM Board comprises a President, Vice-President, Treasurer and 6 Regional Board Members. The ICM Board is appointed by the ICM Council and serves a three-year term (with possibility of one tenure renewal). With the endorsement of their Midwives’ Association, any midwife may put themselves forward for nomination.

Read Terms of Reference for President of the ICM Board >>

Read Terms of Reference for Vice President of the ICM Board >>

Read Terms of Reference for general ICM Board elections >>

ICM Triennial Congress in Bali – Don't miss the early bird deadline!

It will be six years since our last in-person global gathering, and we are so honoured and excited to come together with you for this momentous occasion! The theme for the 2023 Congress, Together again: from evidence to reality, reflects our excitement for face-to-face engagement and points to the work we’re undertaking to implement the evidence which continues to demonstrate the investment case for midwives.

Early registration closes on 28 February, so register today!

Learn more and register today >>