Advocacy, Human Rights, Humanitarian and Climate Change, Eastern Mediterranean

Navigating Birth and Conflict in the West Bank: A Documentary Film About the Work of Midwives  

Ana Gutierrez
12 September 2024

“Women around the world have the right to a safe pregnancy and birth… Unfortunately, in Palestine, we don’t have that luxury,” says Aisha Saifi, a midwife and co-founder of Midwives for Peace. These words capture the harsh reality that midwives and women in the West Bank face every day. 

As hostilities in Gaza continue, the neighbouring West Bank has also faced a surge in violence over the past month. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), around 73,000 women in the West Bank are currently pregnant, with more than 8,000 expected to give birth in the coming month as the violence threatens to spill over further. With hospitals overwhelmed and roads blocked by checkpoints, providing safe care has become nearly impossible.  

In February 2024, ICM hired award winning filmmaker Lynzy Billings to visit 11 hospitals across the West Bank. Lynzy documented the struggles midwives endure, working long shifts —sometimes even without pay— and resisting exhaustion as they try to support every woman who needs them.  

The results of these visits are captured in a short documentary film. The film shows the daily challenges faced by Palestinian midwives and their determination to keep providing care despite the difficulties.  

Overcrowded birth rooms, shortages of essential supplies, and a critical lack of staff are just some of the issues midwives in the West Bank must navigate. “Sometimes your mental health suffers because you have no more energy, and you just can’t get to everyone,” says Faheemah Eyad Bouzieh, a midwife at Istishari Arab Hospital in Ramallah. “With only two midwives per shift, the work has become impossible,” she adds. 

Midwives also express feelings of being unprotected and unsafe in their work. The difficult and unsafe transportation conditions, including longer travel times and threats of violence at checkpoints, have made their jobs even harder. Some midwives report that even ambulances are not safe anymore. Since October 2023, over 480 attacks have targeted healthcare workers and facilities in the West Bank, according to a June 2024 report by the World Health Organisation. 

“I am not protected at all, not as a human, or as an employee in healthcare,” says Insaf Salman Gareeb, a midwife with 30 years of experience. 

The documentary highlights the dedication of these midwives and the broader impact of the ongoing conflict on maternal healthcare. Through their testimonies, we learn about the struggles faced by pregnant women, who are sometimes forced to give birth in their cars or other unsafe places because they can’t reach hospitals in time. “Our outpatient care has also skyrocketed. Women are coming in before their due date so they don’t start labour at night or in their cars,” says Eman Abu Laban, a midwife with 10 years of experience. 

Despite these challenges, midwives remain dedicated to their work. “Being a midwife changed my life. I am so happy to be a midwife, I wouldn’t choose another career even if time went back,” says Insaf. “But a midwife offers so much to everyone, that I sometimes compare her to a candle. We light up others while we melt away,” she reflects, underscoring the dangers and stress they currently face. 

In light of this urgent situation, we call on all stakeholders to come together to end the violence, protect vulnerable populations, and ensure that essential humanitarian aid reaches those in need. The lives of women, newborns, and midwives depend on immediate action. 

 “I wish for all the children in the world to be born safely and live safely, and for the women of the world to deliver safely. I wish for all the midwives, that they never work under the same stress as the midwives of Palestine,” says midwife Insaf Salman Gareeb. 

Insaf’s heartfelt wish is one we share. 

We are grateful to the Midwifery Section of the Palestinian Nursing and Midwifery Association (PNMA) for helping us connect with these brave midwives. We also thank Lynzy Billing for capturing their stories through her powerful photography and film.