Empowering midwives for maternal and newborn health advocacy in Uganda 

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and the National Midwives Association of Uganda (NMAU) recently held a virtual advocacy skills building workshop under the theme ‘Empowering Midwives for Maternal and Newborn Health Advocacy.’ The event aimed to equip Ugandan midwives with essential advocacy skills needed to improve their professional practice and influence health policy. 

The workshop brought together over 30 participants, including midwives, advocates, leaders, and representatives from ICM. Members of the NMAU National Executive Committee, Young Midwife Leaders, and Regional Coordinators from across Uganda came together with a common goal – to strengthen their advocacy skills and promote the midwifery profession. 

The agenda included a series of sessions focusing on the importance of advocacy, the role of midwives in advocacy, understanding policy and decision-making processes, and building effective partnerships and coalitions. The interactive format, complemented by an extensive Q&A session, encouraged an open exchange of ideas and strategies.  

In her opening remarks, Annette Kanyunyuzi, the President of NMAU, highlighted the critical role of midwives in health systems and the need for effective advocacy to improve their working conditions and influence health policies. “Seize the opportunity to learn and build your advocacy capacity,” she urged, “for midwives are not just health care providers, but strong advocates for maternal and newborn health.” 

Daniela Drandić, Head of Advocacy and Communications at ICM, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the global importance of advocacy for midwives and midwifery. She said that ICM works to strengthen MAs such as NMAU through a range of programmes, including this workshop as well as through tools and resources. “Among the resources ICM has developed is the Professional Framework for Midwifery, which includes: the Midwifery philosophy, essential competencies for midwifery practice, the midwife-led continuity of care model of practice, education, regulation, association, research, leadership, enabling environment and commitment to gender equality and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion,” she said, urging participants to advocate  for the adoption of the professional framework by the government to improve midwifery services in Uganda. 

Participants developed SMART objectives for their proposed advocacy initiatives to address challenges such as; insufficient number of midwives, inadequate staffing levels, limited opportunities for leadership and career advancement, low salary/remuneration, poor working conditions and limited resources in the MA. 

In her closing remarks, Likico Emily Opu, Vice President of NMAU, thanked the participants for their dedication and the ICM for its support. She urged participants to share their newly acquired knowledge and skills with their peers. She stressed the importance of continued advocacy for the improvement of midwifery in Uganda. ICM reaffirmed its commitment to support NMAU in further building its advocacy capacity. This partnership aims to create a more coordinated approach to influencing policy and driving positive change for midwives and the communities they serve.