ICM and FIGO release their first joint statement on comprehensive abortion care

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) are pleased to share our first joint statement on comprehensive abortion care (CAC), released in connection with the recent Global Day of Action to Destigmatize Abortions. 

Building on our 2024 joint statement on contraception, this new publication brings together guiding principles, strategic priorities, policy considerations, professional standards, and service delivery actions needed to support quality, equitable, and rights-based comprehensive abortion care. 

The statement also underscores our ongoing partnership and shared commitment to strong interprofessional collaboration to advance sexual and reproductive health, women’s healthcare, and human rights worldwide. 

We extend our sincere thanks to the UN Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) for their valued technical support and partnership. 

Recommendations 

We urge all OBGYNs and midwives at all levels of practice to: 

1. Prioritise policies, education and regulatory frameworks that enable midwives and OBGYNs to provide CAC within their full scope of practice, aligned to global evidence and recommendations.  
2. Establish and strengthen effective mechanisms for mutual consultation and referral, including digital solutions, when care falls outside an individual provider’s scope of practice.  
3. Ensure alignment of all CAC interventions with WHO recommendations, including self-management approaches for abortion and post-abortion contraception.  
4. Promote and uphold respectful, rights-based care by actively addressing stigma and discrimination among healthcare professionals, within institutions and across communities.  
5. Advocate for the decriminalisation of abortion and the implementation of policies that protect health-care providers and ensure equitable access to CAC. 

We further urge for OBGYN societies and midwives’ associations to: 

1. Educate and build capacity. Strengthen pre-service education and in-service training on CAC across professional cadres.  
2. Align policy and disseminate evidence. Update, align and promote clinical care protocols and professional standards with the latest WHO evidence and guidelines.   
3. Advocate for legal and policy reforms. Collectively demand the decriminalisation of abortion and the elimination of laws, policies and administrative barriers that restrict access to CAC.  
4. Leverage digital ecosystems. Promote and integrate telehealth, e-referrals, and  platforms to strengthen coordination and enable timely, equitable access. 
5. Amplify accurate, rights-based information. Counter misinformation, stigma and discrimination by disseminating rights-based, evidence-driven CAC information and resources.  
6. Mutual accountability, monitoring and evaluation.   

The new joint statement on Comprehensive Abortion Care marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing collaboration between International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). Developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, this milestone reflects a shared commitment to advancing rights-based, person-centred care and strengthening interprofessional collaboration between midwives and obstetricians-gynaecologists. Central to this process was the Collaborate for Women (C4W) initiative—an effort led by ICM and FIGO with technical partnership from World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP)—which aims to enhance sexual and reproductive health services, particularly family planning and Comprehensive Abortion Care, elevating and disseminating global best practice standards. 

The  development of the joint statement was shaped through the pivotal multidisciplinary dialogue at the C4W global stakeholder meeting held in Nairobi in September 2025. The C4W Global meeting brought together midwives, obstetricians-gynaecologists, women’s advocacy groups, government agencies, and global NGO partners. The meeting developed mutual understanding and a shared vision for improving outcomes for women and families through a gender transformative approach, addressing long standing gender bias, stigma and equity in reproductive rights and care.   

These discussions directly informed the co-creation of the joint statement, setting the strategic and priory aims for ICM, FIGO and our member associations,  affirming that Comprehensive Abortion Care is an essential health service, a core component of universal health coverage and critical in advancing equity and human rights. 

Building on the success of the 2024 joint statement on family planning, this new declaration comes at a critical time for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally. Amid increasing challenges to access, equity, and rights-based care, the statement represents a unified and urgent call from ICM and FIGO to safeguard and advance Comprehensive Abortion Care as an essential component of healthcare. It reinforces a shared vision that midwives and obstetricians-gynaecologists must work together, across all levels of health systems to ensure women and girls can access timely, safe, and respectful care. 

By aligning professional leadership, evidence-based practice, and advocacy, this joint statement not only builds continuity across priority SRHR areas but also strengthens a collective global voice committed to protecting autonomy, dignity, and access to care for all.