Back to Resources

Enabling Environment Resources

The enabling environment for midwives supports the infrastructure, profession, and system-level integration needed for midwives to effectively practise their full scope of work.

Resource Type
Author
Viewing 1-12 of 22 items
Midwife Talita Oseguera performs a general check up with Lacee Rodgers who is 32 weeks pregnant at Choices clinic. Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Core Document

Professional Framework for Midwifery (2021)

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.
Core Document

Enabling Environment Policy Brief (2021)

The enabling environment for midwives supports the infrastructure, profession, and system-level integration needed for midwives to effectively practise their full scope of work; this brief identifies the necessary policies for scaling midwife-led care.
Toolkit

Advocacy Toolkit

Advocacy is the act of supporting a cause to effect change; this toolkit helps midwives and midwives’ associations learn and plan advocacy activities.
Kalungi Deborah, a midwife for almost 40 years filling patient records at her maternity clinic in Kiwatule, Kampala.
Position Statement

Legislation to Regulate Midwifery Practice 

It is important to regulate and license midwives to protect the public. This regulation must be appropriate and proportional, and be in accordance with the ICM Standards for Midwifery Regulation.
Midwives are working in the female ward of Keraniganj Upazila Health Complex, Bangladesh. They provide essential care and support to pregnant women before, during and after childbirth. Their role involves monitoring the progress of labour, offering guidance, and facilitating a safe and positive birthing experience. Keranigonj, Bangladesh
Position Statement

Midwifery Regulation and Collaboration with Women 

ICM recognises the importance of including non-midwives in the governing bodies that oversee midwifery regulation to represent the voices of women and women's groups in these fora.
Position Statement

Role of the Midwife in Research 

All women have the right the highest quality, culturally relevant, evidence-based midwifery services. To achieve this, midwives should be represented on research and ethics committees, and midwifery research should be resourced and encouraged.
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

Midwifery Led Care, the First Choice for All Women

A midwife-led model of care means that the midwife is responsible for planning, organising, and delivering care to a woman from the initial booking of antenatal visits through to care during the postnatal period. The implementation of midwife-led care is critical to improving maternal and newborn health.
A midwife demonstrates Method of Leopold Maneuvers to midwives participants at the workshop organized by Japan Academy of Midwifery in in Tokyo, Japan.
Position Statement

Qualifications and Competencies of Midwifery Educators

ICM asserts midwifery educators must align with ICM Global Standards and WHO Core Competencies. Essential qualifications include midwifery practice, formal teaching preparation, ongoing development, and advocacy.
Position Statement

Appropriate Maternity Services for Normal Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Postnatal Period

All women should have access to quality, midwife-led care for their sexual, reproductive, and maternal health needs. Midwives should be active in promoting this model of care to the general population.
Position Statement

Role of the Midwife in Disaster/Emergency Preparedness 

Disaster and emergency preparedness by midwives is essential for the provision of SRMNH services. Midwives must be included in preparedness planning and deployed in response teams.
Midwife Kemetra King performs a wellness check with patient Ari Eisenberg, who is nonbinary, at Choices clinic. Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Position Statement

Midwifery: An Autonomous Profession 

ICM advocates global recognition of midwifery as an autonomous profession, rooted in unique knowledge, ethics, self-governance, and societal regulation.
1 2