AIME partners host midwifery education workshop in Bangkok

UNFPA HQ, the Asia Pacific Regional Office and the Alliance to Improve Midwifery Education (AIME) hosted a three-day regional midwifery education workshop in Bangkok, Thailand in March. The workshop brought together global, regional, and country partners working on midwifery education. There was plenty of evidence, as partners and participants shared and learned at the workshop, that investing in well-trained midwives can ensure better health outcomes for the women, newborns, and families that midwives care for. AIME partners include; UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, ICM, LGH, LSTM, Jhpiego, USAID Momentum. 

Midwives and Midwives’ Associations (MAs) and midwifery advocates around the world continue to report challenges related to midwifery education and training. These challenges may be similar or different depending on context. However, they vary from limited access to quality education, lack of midwife educators who are qualified as midwives or educators, limited continuing education (CPD) opportunities, lack of standardised education and training, poor/ inadequate training infrastructure, poor accreditation processes, unclear education/career pathways, limited opportunities for leadership & career advancement, limited scope of practice, limited opportunities for ‘hands on’ practice, often lack of connection between midwifery education school and midwife practitioners, lack of preceptor preparation, among others. 

We support midwives and MAs to advocate for improved policies and resources for midwives and midwifery to ensure better health outcomes for women, newborns and families.