Commemorating Int’l Midwives Day with the theme: "Midwives Reach Out To Women – Wherever They Live"
May 5, is the day to celebrate midwifery - No matter where women have their babies, they will be cared for by a midwife. Midwives work in the community, in birth centres and in public and private hospitals. Midwives are the guardians of ‘normal birth’.
International Midwives’ Day is a timely reminder of the skills and a special time to celebrate the work of midwives and to reflect on the opportunities and future directions for midwifery around the world. The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is a confederation of 83 national midwifery associations from 70 countries, founded in 1919. It’s mission is to advance world-wide the aims and aspirations of midwives in the attainment of improved outcomes for women, their newborn and families wherever they reside.
The ICM established the idea of the ‘International Day of the Midwife’ following discussion among member associations in the late 1980"s, then launched the initiative formally in 1992. The 5th may 2005 will be the 14th International Day of the Midwife.
Midwives around the world celebrate the ‘International Day of the Midwife’ on 5th May each year. The Aim of the day is to celebrate midwifery and to bring an awareness of the importance of midwives’ work to as many people as possible. This is done in many different ways according to what works best in each country. Examples of ways in which midwifery associations mark the day include:
• Organizing a street parade and rally in a public place.
• Setting up stalls in a market to publicize midwifery services and to offer information and advice.
• Holding a meeting, workshop or conference to hear about new developments in midwifery and exchange news with other midwives in the region.
• Raising money to help midwives overseas.
• Just get together to celebrate being midwives.
The International Day of the Midwife is an occasion for every individual midwife to think about the many others in the profession, to make new contacts within and outside midwifery
and widen the knowledge of what midwives do
In Iran:
Iran Midwifery Population is to organize a conference to commemorate the International Midwives Day at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Hospital on May 4th.
Prominent Iranian midwives shall be hailed at the ceremony in a bid to promote professional ethics in the midwifery society. The event, attended by officials from the medical treatment and health sectors as well as midwives from around the country, will also provide an opportunity for discussing various problems afflicting the profession.
The subjects will include reconsidering the tariffs for midwifery services, taxation, contracts with insurance firms, employment for university graduates, as well as responsibilities and plans of the Medical Registration Board with regard to the midwives. Establishment of the necessary relationship with midwives and the midwifery experts of other countries, particularly the Islamic countries, in a view to get acquainted with new midwifery techniques, introducing the Iranian Midwifery to them and creation of a reciprocal cooperation relations with them, is also on the agenda.
