Midwives play a pivotal role in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and stillbirths in low- and middle-income countries and providing women and newborns with sexual and reproductive health services. Yet the midwifery workforce is in crisis. There is an estimated global shortage of 900,000 midwives due to fewer intakes into educational institutions; inadequate investment in recruitment, deployment, and remuneration; and a weak supportive environment.White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) pioneered an innovative programmatic approach that both increases political will to invest in midwives and accelerates national policy change, all in accordance with midwives' priorities. Midwives' Voices, Midwives' Demands (MVMD) is a groundbreaking campaign launched in 2021 by WRA, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and partners. The campaign was based on an open-ended question: "What do you want most in your role as a midwife?" WRA and ICM selected nine focus countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe for intensive outreach. Trained mobilizers queried health providers and recorded responses using the What Women Want Chatbot - a novel digital tool that uses WhatsApp and artificial intelligence to rapidly capture demands and analyze results. Responses from non-focus countries were collected via an e-survey.MVMD reached 56,000+ midwives in 100 countries. The two largest demands were for more and better supported personnel, including increased salaries, and for supplies and functional facilities. This panel will explore how campaign partners have used the MVMD process and results to strengthen midwifery policy development and implementation in their countries, creating a more conducive environment based on what midwives say.
Room: 1.63-1.64 International Maternal Newborn Health Conference 2023 information@imnhc.orgMidwives play a pivotal role in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and stillbirths in low- and middle-income countries and providing women and newborns with sexual and reproductive health services. Yet the midwifery workforce is in crisis. There is an estimated global shortage of 900,000 midwives due to fewer intakes into educational institutions; inadequate investment in recruitment, deployment, and remuneration; and a weak supportive environment.
White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) pioneered an innovative programmatic approach that both increases political will to invest in midwives and accelerates national policy change, all in accordance with midwives' priorities. Midwives' Voices, Midwives' Demands (MVMD) is a groundbreaking campaign launched in 2021 by WRA, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and partners. The campaign was based on an open-ended question: "What do you want most in your role as a midwife?" WRA and ICM selected nine focus countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe for intensive outreach. Trained mobilizers queried health providers and recorded responses using the What Women Want Chatbot - a novel digital tool that uses WhatsApp and artificial intelligence to rapidly capture demands and analyze results. Responses from non-focus countries were collected via an e-survey.
MVMD reached 56,000+ midwives in 100 countries. The two largest demands were for more and better supported personnel, including increased salaries, and for supplies and functional facilities. This panel will explore how campaign partners have used the MVMD process and results to strengthen midwifery policy development and implementation in their countries, creating a more conducive environment based on what midwives say.