Symposium on Strengthening Midwifery Services and Women Deliver Conference, Washington DC

Midwifery Symposium at Women Deliver II, 5-6 June 2010

Symposium on Strengthening Midwifery Services: 5-6 June

The Alliance coordinated and chaired a session at the Symposium on Strengthening Midwifery held in Washington D.C. from 5-6 June 2010. The session partners produced a call to action presented at the Women Deliver conference.

This session analysed issues, challenges, shared experiences and provided recommendations on necessary elements and processes for the development and implementation of an evidence-informed and needs-based plan for scaling up personnel with midwifery skills. The programme included an overview of global trends and challenges, country experiences and lessons learned and concluded with an productive dialogue with the audience.

Panellists included:

  • Dr Mubashar Sheikh, Executive Director, Global Health Workforce Alliance
  • Ms Della Sherratt, UNFPA, People's Democratic Republic of Lao
  • Ms Margaret Loma Phiri, Regional Adviser for Nursing & Midwifery WHO African Region
  • Dr Lamia El Tigani Elfadil Mahmoud Director of Reproductive Health Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan
  • Ms. Ramziah Ahmad, President of the Malaysian Midwives Association
  • Sheila Clow, University of Cape Town

The Symposium brought together a wide range of participants including prominent midwives from key priority countries to discuss challenges surrounding midwifery. This one and a half day Symposium was organized by UNFPA and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) in collaboration with WHO, Global Health Workforce Alliance, JHPIEGO, FIGO, UNICEF, and the World Bank.



Women Deliver

Women Deliver Conference: 7-9 June

The Symposium preceded the 2010 edition of "Women Deliver", a global conference focusing on political, economic, social/cultural, and technological solutions targeted at "delivering solutions for women and girls" to improve maternal and reproductive health.

The Alliance hosted a session on the role of health care professional associations in improving maternal and newborn health. The agenda included a number of issues related to maternal and newborn health, including defining the competencies, scope of practice, regulation, as well as international and national inter-linkages in matters concerning task shifting.

Panellists included:

  • Dr Mubashar Sheikh, Executive Director, Global Health Workforce Alliance
  • Bience Gawanas, Commissioner of African Affairs, African Union
  • Bjarne Garden, Norad, Global Health and AIDS Department
  • Pius Okong, FIGO
  • Nester Moyo, ICM
  • Zulfi Bhutta/Hanoun Saluyé, IPA

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