Governments and international partners used the UN General Assembly High-Level Week to announce new commitments to strengthen midwifery and primary health care, with Bangladesh planning 25,000 midwifery posts and Sierra Leone committing to recruit 3,000 additional midwives by 2030.
The event was organised by Bangladesh and Sweden with UNFPA and focused on integrating professional midwives into primary health care, with more than 50 countries joining UNFPA's Midwifery Accelerator initiative.
UNFPA says midwives trained to international standards can provide up to 90 per cent of essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health care, with participants highlighting stronger education, regulation and leadership opportunities.
Midwives bring hope, life, and vital care to women when they need it most, said UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita.