Midwives from across the globe met in Toronto, Canada this week (20-23 June) at the 31st Triennial Congress International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).  This year, for the first time ever, Nepal was represented as a full member of the ICM through MIDSON, the Midwifery Society of Nepal.  MIDSON is the national professional organization representing midwifery in Nepal.

The group photo shows midwives at the ICM.  These midwives from various countries including Nepal, the UK and Uganda have been involved in the Global Midwifery Twinning Project (GMTP).  MIDSON participated in GMTP which was a three-year multi-country partnership funded by the UK government.  It ran from 2012 to 2015 to ‘strengthen health systems through health service skills transfer and capacity development.’   The UK Royal College of Midwives formed twinning partnerships with midwifery associations in Uganda, Cambodia and Nepal, all low-income countries with a high maternal mortality burden. The RCM interventions included sending midwife volunteers to each country.  The key aspects of GMTP were presented in Canada.

According to Dr. Edwin van Teijlingen, who wrote this short piece is Professor of Reproductive Health Research at Bournemouth University in the UK, also attended the ICM conference in Canada and presented a paper on ‘Mental health training for community maternity workers in Nepal.’