Toronto reflections from the Chief ExecutiveWith the busiest month in every Triennium now behind us and ICM’s members from all around the world returning home, we look back with delight on the recent 31st Triennial Congress, held in Toronto, Canada. Attended by over 4,000 midwives, partners, stakeholders in midwifery, and civil society organisations, Congress was a lightning rod for education, information-sharing, networking and strategization of the role that midwives will play over the coming years in the sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health space. We laughed in the debate, cried in some keynote addresses, learned at the workshops and were inspired by our plenary sessions. We passed meaningful policies in our Council meetings (see below) and collected the necessary insights to inform our strategic directions for the coming triennium. We even supported Johnson and Johnson to set a Guinness World Record by hosting the world’s largest infant massage training class! And of course we danced, we marched for more midwives, we had fun and we renewed friendships and made new ones – it was a joyful week. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and in the Head Office we are renewed with inspiration and energy for the work of this next triennium. With the election of our new Board comes the promise of exciting times for ICM’s future, and I look forward to working closely with the Board and all ICM’s Member Associations on further raising the profile of midwives and advocating for the policies and infrastructure required in countries to support and enable midwifery autonomy and community-based, midwife-led maternal and newborn health services. Midwives are essential to achievement of most of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ICM needs to work with you all to help governments and global-level policy-makers understand the vital role midwives can play if recognised and appropriately supported. I’d like to thank our amazing sponsors, partners and exhibitors for their enthusiasm and support, and also our hosts the Canadian Association of Midwives, the Conference organisers MCI, the ICM Team in The Hague, our Board Members and Council, President Frances Day-Stirk for her grit and her passion for midwives, the Scientific Committee for such a great programme, all the speakers and presenters and of course, our outgoing Conference Manager, Malcolm Macmillan: without the tireless dedication of all of these people, this Congress would have been but an impossible dream. And of course, I’d like to thank all of the midwives who travelled from near and far to celebrate, communicate, and plan for the next big step… you truly make a difference in the world. Roll on Bali 2020! Sally Pairman Chief Executive Triennial Council Meeting update: 13-16 June 2017 More than 130 delegates participated in the ICM triennial Council Meeting at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Canada and over half of these were attending Council for the first time. More than 50 observers also attended the meeting. Delegates identified the strategic directions for the 2017-2020 triennium and adopted several new position statements including ICM’s definition of midwifery. They received updates on various ICM projects, including the Midwifery Services Framework, Midwifery Education Accreditation Programme, ICM Young Midwifery Leaders Program, the ICM/Direct Relief Mapping project, update of essential competencies, review of the global standards for midwifery education and update on ICM’s history project. Some significant policies were passed that will see centralised organisation and support for ICM Regional Conferences; reconfiguration of future ICM Triennial Council Meetings; a new process for deciding on the location of future Triennial Congresses; and expansion of ICM Regions from four to six. Delegates also elected a new Board (comprising Regional Board Members, Treasurer, Vice-President and President) for the triennium and chose the top two potential venues for Congress 2023! It was an invigorating and productive four-day meeting and on behalf of the outgoing ICM Board, I thank all of the delegates for their participation in the Council meeting and for their contribution to ICM. News Brief New President and Board MembersThe International Confederation of Midwives council delegates on 16th June 2017 in Toronto, Canada voted for the new president and board members. From 10,000 to 50,000 Happy birthdaysIn collaboration with Laerdal Global Health and with the support from other organisations, ICM announces its wish to scale up the simulation-based Helping Babies Survive (HBS) and Helping Mothers Survive (HMSBAB) training modules in a phase II of the 10,000 Happy Birthday Project. Click HERE for more information Midwifery Education Accreditation Programme (MEAP) Early February ICM contracted Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) to carry out the task of developing the Midwifery Education Accreditation Programme (MEAP). During the 31st Triennial Congress in Toronto, the Swiss TPH presented the work done so far to donors, development partners, midwifery students, regulators, policy makers and experts in midwifery who attended the congress. The overall objective was to inform the audience about the global accreditation scheme, its need, benefits and utilization as well as seek feedback. A number of countries and partners expressed the desire to be involved in the process; and development partners pledged to support the process in different countries. The programme will be available for countries to apply for beginning of February 2018. To learn more about MEAP click HERE Some of the participants engaged in discussion during the MEAP workshop ICM calls on members to embrace defence of human rights ICM has joined the Stand Up campaign and is encouraging its members to embrace their roles as human rights defenders and to #standup4humanrights. "We are calling on midwives to stand up for the universal access to health care and availability to adequate health care," Said Ingela Wiklund, ICM treasurer and member of the Executive Committee. "Health care must be accessible and provided without discrimination based on health status, race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexuality, disability, language, religion, national origin, income, education or social status." Wiklund made her statement in the lead up to the ICM's Triennial Congress. Read more HERE Speech of the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore during the 31st Triennial Congress can be accessed HERE Ingela Wiklund, ICM Treasurer and member of the executive committee Kate Gilmore, UN Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights Governments take ownership of Midwifery Services framework (MSF) in their countries ICM conducted two (English and French) Midwifery Services Framework (MSF) workshop during 31st ICM Triennial Congress. Six countries:- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Ghana and Togo presented their progress on the tool. The objectives of the workshop were to provide an opportunity for the six countries to share their experiences in implementing the MSF; and to disseminate, explain the evidence and the concepts behind the MSF tool to other countries. During her presentation, Makhole Lebaka the Lesotho Director of Nursing Services in the Ministry of Health, pledged to provide both financial and political support for the MSF process in her country. Other presenters also pledged their commitments to ensure smooth MSF implementation in their countries. To supplement the country presentations, ICM released MSF booklet with each countries' detailed experiences. The booklet also highlighted the value and relevance of the tool to countries. With the positive results in the six countries, ICM is happy that the MSF tool has started to place and integrate midwives and midwifery services into the health care systems. The workshops were attended by General Director of Human Resource, Director General of Nursing and Midwifery, Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council, International Midwifery Specialists and other high level officials including President of Midwives Associations from each country. Makhole Lebaka, Lesotho's Director of Nursing Services, presenting her countries MSF progress Afghanistan's take home message for delegates on the MSF progress in their country. #ICMLive Congress Newsletters and video linksICM partnerned with Johnson & Johnson and Girls Globe to highlight the voices of midwives and the many ways that midwives are making a difference in the world. You can access the 31st Triennial Congress coverage from the following links:- - Blogs, videos, stories HERE - #ICMLive newsletter HERE - Recorded plenary sessions HERE Photo snippets: 31st Triennial Congress Click HERE to view all Congress photos Congress opening ceremony: (L-R) Nester Moyo, ICM Senior Midwifery Advisor holding ICM flag, Katrina Kilroy, CAM President and host holding Canadian flag and Sue Bree, ICM outgoing board member holding the Congress flag ICM Chief Executive Sally Pairman (R) in a group photo with partners (R-L) former President of Tanzania HE Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete , outgoing ICM President Frances Day-Stirk, ICM Goodwill Ambassador HE Toyin Saraki, Acting UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem, Canadian Association of Midwives President Katrina Kilroy and Executive Director, Corporate Contributions Johnson & Johnson Joy Marini All smiles as the - Marie Goubran, Education, Research and Midwife for Life Award winners pose for a picture with the outgoing ICM President Frances Day-Stirk (L) and ICM Chief Executive Sally Pairman (R). The winners were awarded during the 31st Triennial Congress in Toronto, Canada THANK YOU! ICM Staff and the outgoing President Frances Day-Stirk would like to thank all midwives, partners, stakeholders, Canadian Association of Midwives, board and council members, MCI, speakers, presenters and all those who made the 31st Triennial Congress a success! Upcoming Events 28 July - World Hepatitis Day 1-7 August - World Breastfeeding Week 19 August - World Humanitarian Day For more information and current news on ICM visit: Website: www.internationalmidwives.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalConfederationofMidwives/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/world_midwives |