ICM BOARD COMMUNIQUE – MAY 2019

The ICM Board held their annual face-to-face meeting in The Hague, the Netherlands from Tuesday 14 May to Friday 17 May 2019. The ICM Board confirmed its commitment to the ICM objective of strengthening midwifery globally.  The Board also acknowledged and thanked the ICM Head Office.

Membership 2019 Update:

So far this year ICM has expanded its membership with 7 new member associations. ICM now has 139 member associations from 119 countries.

The Board discussed the membership fee structure and its inequities. A new structure is being developed to address these inequities and also support the sustainability of ICM long term. Part of this work will involve creating a toolkit to guide member associations on how to strengthen their own membership fee structure and achieve full paid membership.

ICM Regional Conferences:

The Board were delighted with the success of both regional conferences in 2018 (Dubai and Paraguay) which have set a strong foundation for future regional conference. 

Board members are looking forward to the Africa Regional Conference which is taking place in Namibia in September 2019 and emphasised the importance of maximising attendance.

ICM Congress 2020:

Planning and preparations for the ICM 2020 Congress in Bali were discussed. A record number of 1,790 abstracts have been received with the abstract submission date extended to 6 June to accommodate midwives celebrating Ramadan. There is significant interest from partners and corporate organisations with sponsorship funding on track.

Board Elections – June 2020:

In support of increased transparency and democracy, it was decided that the Regional Board Member elections, preceding Council Bali 2020, will be moderated by a member of the ICM staff. The election will no longer be facilitated by a Board Member who is up for election.