3.

1 Three strategic priorities for

strengthening quality midwifery
education

Strategic priority (a): Every woman and

newborn to be cared for by a midwife,
educated and trained to international
standards and enabled legally to practise
the full scope of midwifery. The professional
title “midwife” should only be used for
providers who are educated and regulated
to international standards.

The consultations demonstrated a striking

global consensus on this strategic priority.
While acknowledging this as aspirational in
some contexts, because of limited or no
midwifery capacity at present, the case studies
in Box 14 below demonstrate it is possible,
even in difficult conditions.
Participants based this priority on the evidence,
and on examples showing how the introduction
of educated, professional midwives has made a
radical improvement in outcomes for women and
their newborns.

Box 13. Bangladesh introduces a

cadre of professional midwives
educated to international standards
A new cadre of professional midwives is
successfully meeting the needs of mothers,
newborns and families in health facilities
across Bangladesh.
Since 2010, UNFPA’s Maternal Health
Thematic Fund (MHTF) has supported the
government in its pledge to train an
additional 3000 midwives and double the
share of births attended by a skilled health
professional. In January 2013 Bangladesh

Concern was raised that some providers are

being referred to as midwives, although they are
neither educated nor regulated to international
standards. This lack of clarity on the provider’s
title was seen to cause confusion among women
and families seeking quality care, as well as
among health professionals working in an
interdisciplinary team.
Concern was raised that some providers are
being referred to as midwives, although they are
neither educated nor regulated to international
standards. This lack of clarity on the provider’s
title was seen to cause confusion among women
and families seeking quality care, as well as
among health professionals working in an
interdisciplinary team. the first direct-entry midwifery programme;
this means midwives no longer need to train
first as nurses before becoming a midwife;
• the midwifery schools have established a
National Midwifery Education Institutions
Committee aiming to pursue continuous
improvement in midwifery education;
• the Nurses and Midwives Board has assessed
all midwifery schools against international and
national standards: temporary accreditation
has been granted.