Video

UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on The State of the World’s Midwifery 2021 Report

calendar_today05 May 2021

UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on The State of the World’s Midwifery 2021 Report

UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on The State of the World’s Midwifery 2021 Report

The world is currently facing an acute shortage of 900,000 midwives, which represents a third of the required global midwifery workforce. The COVID-19 crisis has only exacerbated these problems, with the health needs of women and newborns being overshadowed, midwifery services being disrupted and midwives being deployed to other health services.

News

Global shortage of 900,000 midwives threatens women’s lives and health, new report shows

calendar_today04 May 2021

Midwives with a mobile team in Marib, Yemen, provide life-saving services in a displacement camp. © UNFPA Yemen
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The State of the World’s Midwifery 2021

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Explore Country Data
You can search countries here. Please click a country on the list of results to zoom the map into that country.
Midwives per 10,000 population

Colour indicates the number of midwives per 10,000 population. "Midwives" includes midwifery professionals, midwifery associate professionals, midwives not further defined, nursing professionals with midwifery training and nursing associate professionals with midwifery training

Click on a country to view key data and access the SoWMy 2021 country profile

  • 10+
  • 4 - 9.99
  • 3 - 3.99
  • 2 - 2.99
  • 1 - 1.99
  • 0 - 0.99
  • not reported
UNFPA
ICM
WHO

The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNFPA concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.

Statement

Trust the evidence: invest in midwives

calendar_today05 May 2021

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News

Yemeni midwives help deliver hope during Ramadan

calendar_today01 April 2021

Midwife Rahma attends to Halima, who is due to give birth during Ramadan, at her home that has been outfitted as a maternity clinic. © UNFPA Yemen
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News

From child bride to midwife saving lives of Afghan mothers

calendar_today10 March 2021

Amina Mansoory is the only midwife serving in a remote district (population:1500) of Herat province in western Afghanistan. © UNFPA Afghanistan
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Publication date

Sep 2020

Author

UNFPA

Resources

Executive Summary: Implementation Manual for developing a national network of maternity units

News

Amid pandemic and unrest, midwives undeterred in saving lives in Conakry

calendar_today11 February 2021

A midwife at the Communal Medical Centre in Matam wraps newborns in warm blankets. © UNFPA Guinea
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News

2020 Year in Review: Top 5 stories affecting women and girls

calendar_today28 December 2020

In pandemic times, midwives around the world like Selina Akter in Bangladesh helped deliver a safer world. Image courtesy of Selina Akter
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Publication date

Dec 2020

Author

Andrea Nove, Ingrid K Friberg, Luc de Bernis, Fran McConville, Allisyn C Moran, Maria Najjemba, Petra ten Hoope-Bender, Sally Tracy, Caroline SE Homer

Resources

Infographic on Impact of Midwives Study

This infographic highlights key findings from a new study led by UNFPA, WHO and the International Confederation of Midwives, published in the Lancet Global Health on 1 December 2020. The study discusses the potential impact of increasing coverage rates of midwife delivered interventions in preventing and saving millions of maternal and newborn lives, unsafe abortions and still births.

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