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Vision Statement


THE VISION FOR WOMEN AND THEIR HEALTH

ICM envisions a world where:

  • women are respected and treated as persons in their own right in all societies
  • Women stand as equal partners with men in the world order women are recognised as crucial to the health of any nation
  • Women and their families are part of a health care system with high quality care and easy access when needed
  • Women have the right to choose from among safe options for care throughout their lives, including high quality, state-of the-art care from competent providers who truly care about the woman and her health
  • Women are educated and empowered to delight in a strong sense of self, to trust their bodies, to plan their pregnancies, and to make wise choices in their health care arena
  • Women experience a reasonable standard of living, including a clean and safe environment, healthy food, and a reasonable place to live
  • No woman has to fear for her life or the life of her baby when she is pregnant
  • Women believe that birth is normal and prefer to avoid unnecessary intervention

THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF MIDWIFERY

ICM envisions the following about the future of midwifery in the world:

  • Midwives provide care in all settings and for all women who need midwifery care
  • Midwives are well-qualified and remain competent and caring throughout their careers
  • Midwives are autonomous health care providers who value team work in providing the total needs of women and their families
  • Midwives are recognised for their activities of self-governance, including standards of practice, core competencies, codes of ethics, ongoing quality assessment and valid credentialling systems
  • Midwifery education is available through a variety of routes and based on core competencies related to the needs of the country/area where the midwife is prepared
  • Midwives are, and have to stay, responsible for their own training and education
  • All qualified midwives are able to practice in keeping with their educational preparation and experience
  • Midwives are recognised as the experts in the care of childbearing women and linchpins in any Safe Motherhood effort
  • Midwives play a key role in determining the future of health care, including community-based primary health care for women and families
  • Midwives are an integral part of any regulatory agency assigning the task of promulgating and enforcing rules and regulations governing midwifery practice
  • Midwives are involved in research and policy work that validates and promotes midwifery care to the public
  • Midwives believe that menstruation, pregnancy, birth and menopause are normal life events and rarely require medical intervention
  • Midwives work with women to design a women-responsive health care system

 

Adopted by the International Confederation of Midwives at Council May 1996, Oslo, Norway
Reinforced by the International Council in May 1999, Manila, the Philippines