The International Day of the Midwife (IDM) is an annual global observance held on 5 May to honor the vital contributions of midwives in ensuring maternal and newborn health.
- The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of midwifery in ensuring safe childbirth.
- The IDM celebration was led by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).
Theme:
The theme of IDM 2025 is : “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis”.
- This theme recognizes the crucial role midwives play in delivering maternal and newborn health services, especially in vulnerable situations like natural disasters and conflicts.
Background:
i.The International Day of the Midwife (IDM) was proposed at the 1987 ICM conference in the Netherlands.
ii.First IDM was celebrated on 5 May 1991.
Who are Midwives?
Midwives are trained healthcare professionals specializing in obstetric and gynecological services. Their responsibilities include:
- Providing primary care, prenatal, and obstetric services
- Conducting routine gynecological care, such as annual exams and contraception
- Offering antenatal and postnatal care
- Ensuring safe childbirth and managing complications
- Supporting breastfeeding and newborn nutrition
- Providing contraception and comprehensive abortion care
Global Shortage of Midwives:
i.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 2.2 million midwives worldwide. However, there is an estimated shortage of 0.31 million midwives projected by 2030.
ii.This shortage is most acute in regions such as Africa, South-East Asia, and parts of Latin America. Investing in midwifery is crucial for achieving universal health coverage and strengthening health systems globally.
Gender Dynamics:
i.Globally, women constitute 67% of the health and social care workforce, a significant contrast to their 41% representation across all employment sectors.
ii.Furthermore, over 80% of the world’s nurses are employed in countries that collectively account for only 50% of the global population.
- This indicates an unequal distribution of nursing resources across regions. In addition, 1 out of every 8 nurses is working in a country different from where they were born or received their professional training.
Policy Initiatives:
i.The WHO, guided by the World Health Assembly resolution WHA74.15 (2021), has outlined the Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery (SDNM) 2021–2025.
- This framework focuses on four key areas: Education, Jobs, Leadership and Service Delivery:
ii.The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with ICM, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), WHO, and other global partners and donors, launched the Global Midwifery Acceleration Roadmap at the World Health Summit in October 2024.
2025 Events:
In alignment with the IDM 2025 theme, the WHO hosted a webinar titled “Midwives in Emergencies” on 5 May 2025.
- This event focused on midwifery models of care in conflict-affected areas, emphasizing the critical contributions of midwives in delivering maternal and newborn health services during crises
About International Confederation of Midwives (ICM):
The International Midwives’ Union (IMU), the forerunner of the ICM was founded in 1922 in Belgium. In 1954, the IMU changed its name to the ICM with its head office in London, United Kingdom (UK).
President- Sandra Oyarzo Torres
Headquarters– The Hague, The Netherlands(since 1999)
