Enabling Environment

Midwives are essential to Spain’s public health system, supporting women’s sexual, reproductive health from menarche to menopause. Their work is complex, requiring both technical expertise and strong psychosocial skills. Yet, despite their training and responsibility, many midwives face unstable and unfair working conditions, including temporary contracts, limited permanent positions, regional inequalities, and a lack of recognition and professional growth opportunities.

In July, ICM team members joined a virtual meeting with a Member of the European Parliament to discuss the future of Europe’s health workforce. Following this dialogue, ICM provided written feedback on the European Parliament’s draft report for an EU Health Workforce Crisis Plan. The objective is to ensure midwives are explicitly recognised and women’s health is prioritised.

In 2024, the European Commission announced that the European Directive on Professional Qualifications: Midwife was due for revision. For ICM, the announcement of this revision represents a unique opportunity to ensure that the Directive can truly support safe, high-quality, and equitable midwifery care across EU/EEA countries.

This Guide provides a step-by-step approach to applying the Professional Framework for Midwifery to strengthen midwifery services, improve the quality of SRMNAH care, and support long-term health system improvements.

Every profession needs a structure to support it, strengthen it and guide its development, that includes all the elements required before an occupation can be considered a profession.

Strengthening midwives' professional identity enhances job satisfaction, reduces burnout, and improves perinatal care, key to recruiting and retaining midwives globally.

Jeffthanie Mathurin urges young midwives to embrace leadership, starting small by leading groups, improving practices, and supporting colleagues.

Midwives from Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean gathered in Kigali for ICM’s regional conference, focusing on building stronger associations through leadership, advocacy, and skill development.

ICM and NMAU hosted a virtual workshop to enhance advocacy skills, empowering Ugandan midwives to influence health policy, improve working conditions, and strengthen midwifery services nationwide.

The German Midwives Association shares insights on midwifery education, challenges, and support, highlighting the importance of collaboration ahead of the upcoming ICM Europe Regional Conference in Berlin.

As the ICM Regional Conference for Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean approaches, it is time to explore and understand the midwifery landscape in this country.

There has been an important update regarding the upcoming ICM Regional Conference for Europe in Berlin, Germany. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have had to make slight changes to both the date and venue of the event. The new conference dates are slightly later than originally planned, and will be 8-10 November 2024.