Midwives: health heroes for women, adolescent girls and newborns

On this day, the United Nations Population Fund, Libya office, salutes the contribution of the Libyan midwives and the caring mothers who have worked to save the lives of women, girls and newborn babies, under very difficult circumstances, in hard-to-reach communities and in humanitarian emergencies.

Well-trained and supported midwives working in communities are uniquely positioned to provide the compassionate, respectful and sensitive care Libyan women need during pregnancy and childbirth and a newborn child needs during the critical first month of life.

Midwives provide an invaluable service in the communities enabling prevention of maternal and neonatal mortality. Therefore, increasing the number of midwives and spread their presence in any country, it is an indication of the caring of the country to its wives, its daughters, and its children.

“UNFPA is helping train and support thousands of midwives in more than 100 countries. A recent survey estimated that in 57 of these countries, UNFPA has trained 66,000 midwives over the past seven years. These critical health-care providers can help more than 11 million women to give birth safely each year, but much more needs to be done.” (Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, UNFPA)

On this International Day, we at UNFPA renew our commitment to work with national and global partners in Libya to increase the number of midwives and to enhance their skills and abilities in midwifery. We call on the State of Libya, especially the Ministry of Health, to acclaim and reward midwives, especially those working in challenging and hard-to-reach areas, where their services are most needed. We also urge the State to invest in continuous quality training, good working conditions and decent salaries, and develop adequate workforce policies and possibilities for professional growth in this vital sector.

Midwives are the backbone of the health of our women, our daughters and our children.
Let us support them and the women and newborns at the heart of their care.