Category

Gender Equality

Human Rights, gender equality, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are core to ICM’s work. Read ICM’s documents for midwives and midwives’ associations on G-JEDI.

Viewing 13-24 of 36 items
Position Statement

Health of Women and Children in Disasters 

Women and children are always disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises. ICM underscores the need to prepare midwives to work in humanitarian crises to mitigate the effects of these crises.
Shamsun Nahar is with her 1-day old son. She gave birth to the child with the assistance of midwives in Keraniganj Upazila Health Complex, Bangladesh.
Position Statement

Mother- and Baby-Friendly Employment Policies for Midwives 

Midwives need flexible working conditions and policies so that they can return to work as soon as it is appropriate for them after giving birth. These must enable a quality relationship with their newborn or infant, and support the right to breastfeed.
Position Statement

Midwives’ Provision of Abortion-Related Services

Well-educated midwives can provide competent and safe abortion-related services. Any woman who seeks or requires abortion-related services is entitled to be provided with such services by midwives, in accordance with the laws and policies of their country.
Position Statement

Female Genital Mutilation

FGM is a harmful practice that violates the human rights of girls and women. Midwives should not support FGM, and should work to eliminate it in their countries.
Position Statement

Midwives and Violence against Women and Children

The human rights of women and children should be respected in all societies. This includes the prevention of violence against women and children. Midwives should support prevention strategies and programmes.
Position Statement

Ethical Recruitment of Midwives 

Recruitment practices should be guided by ethical principles, without targeting low-income countries. Midwives recruited to work in other countries should be respected and receive sufficient orientation and support.
A smiling midwife embraces a mother and her baby in a midwifery clinic with colourful art on the walls
Position Statement

Collaboration and Partnerships for Healthy Women

ICM advocates multi-professional collaboration for optimal sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn care, emphasizing trust, open communication, and strategic partnerships.
Midwife Nikia Grayson reads a brochure on LGBTI health with patient Antoine Dandridge, who is a gay man, during a wellness check at CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Position Statement

Human Rights of LGBTI People

Everyone has the right to self-determination and the right to receive humanised, inclusive midwifery care regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Midwives have a critical role in providing compassionate, culturally safe care to LGBTIQ+ people.
Midwife Talita Oseguera reviews information on a laptop during a general check up with Lacee Rodgers who is 32 weeks pregnant at Choices clinic. Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Position Statement

Midwives, Women and Human Rights 

ICM urges midwives to implement a human rights-based approach to health in all settings, and to empower women to exercise their human rights.
Position Statement

Heritage and Culture in Childbearing

Midwives work in partnership with women and families to establish and maintain maternity services that are culturally sensitive, safe, and free from discrimination. Midwives should be knowledgeable about and respect the cultures of the families they work with.
Position Statement

Partnership between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Midwives

Indigenous midwives make significant contributions to reproductive health and social justice worldwide. All midwives have a unique role in promoting equitable and effective partnerships with Indigenous midwives.
Position Statement

Debt cancellation and other economic policies that affect health and safe motherhood

ICM supports the complete cancellation of debt owed by poor countries, as an important step to reducing poverty and inequality, but also enabling investments into public services such as health and education.
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