Announcing the Launch of the International Day of the Midwife Toolkit

As we prepare to celebrate the International Day of the Midwife (#IDM2025) on 5 May, ICM is excited to launch the IDM 2025 Digital Toolkit! This year’s theme, “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis,” highlights the essential role midwives play- or could play- in crisis preparedness, planning and response. 

With natural disasters, conflicts, and climate change disproportionately affecting women, girls, and gender-diverse people, midwives are trusted first responders within their communities, who can prepare health systems to be ready for any crisis. Despite their expertise, midwives are often excluded from crisis planning, limiting their ability to advocate for essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health (SRMNAH) services. IDM 2025 is a call to action for greater recognition, inclusion, and support for midwives in crisis response efforts. 

What’s Inside the IDM 2025 Toolkit 

This year’s toolkit provides practical resources to help midwives, midwives’ associations, and partners advocate for midwives as essential crisis responders. It includes: 

• Key Messages and Background Information – Learn about midwives’ critical role in crises and share our advocacy messages and calls to action. 

• Printable Posters – Ready-to-use materials to promote IDM in your community. 

• Social Media Tiles, Covers, and Editable Templates – Share ready-to-use visuals or personalise the templates by adding your own language and images. 

• List of IDM Events – A global overview of IDM celebrations, including how to submit your own event. 

How to Use the Toolkit 

We encourage you to: 

• Download and share the key messages and materials. 

• Adapt and translate the content to reflect your language and local context. 

• Personalise with local images to highlight midwifery in your community. 

• Share the advocacy video to spread awareness about the vital role of midwives in crisis settings. 

Join the Global IDM Celebration 

ICM is hosting a special IDM event on 5 May 2025, bringing together midwives, experts, and advocates to highlight midwives’ contributions in crisis settings. You can find more details about the event here. 

We also invite midwives and midwives’ associations to submit their IDM events through the link in the toolkit. By sharing your event, you contribute to a global movement advocating for midwives as critical in every crisis.