International Day of the Midwife 2011 ( Summary by PMNHC)

The Partnership PMNCH The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child  Health which is part if WHO Initiative to reach Millenium Developements Goals 2015 published article about International Day of the Midwife organised by ICM International Confederation of Midwives on May 5th, 2011.

"More than 22,000 people in 31 countries are marching for midwifery to commemorate International Day of the Midwife this year. The International Confederation of Midwives has asked member associations, midwives and their supporters around the world to take to the streets on and around 5 May 2011 to raise awareness and build commitments toward tackling global inequalities in maternal and newborn mortality and to highlight local issues in midwifery service provision."

Message from ICM President, Bridget Lynch

"Speaking from Kabul, Afghanistan, a country where maternal mortality rates are unacceptably high, Bridget Lynch, President of International Confederation of Midwives, recorded a video message to the midwives of the world: “In cities and towns, midwives are walking with colleagues, with the women they care for, with their supports, on 5 km marches to bring to the attention of our governments in all our countries the plight of women, the issues of sexual and reproductive health, the unnecessary deaths that are taking place in low-income countries, and bringing the attention to our governments, to our people, to demand that these deaths stop, that women wherever they live in the world have access to sexual and reproductive health care, family planning, and that they have access to the highest quality midwifery services so that no woman needs to die because she is pregnant, because she has given birth, or because she is poor.”

WHO message from ADG Dr Flavia Bustreo

"Assistant Director-General of Family and Community Health, (World Health Organization) released a statement promoting the significant impact of midwives on efforts to achieve MDGs 4 and 5 and the UN Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health: “As presented in the upcoming The State of the World’s Midwifery report, the role of midwives is acknowledged as being crucial to addressing maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity, to promoting women’s and children’s health. Midwives should be key partners in making health services more responsive to the needs of women and communities.”