Midwifery voices needed on WHO draft of Every Newborn Action Plan

Calling all midwives: Please read this request from the International Confederation of Midwives and ensure the midwifery perspective is included in this important plan to save newborn lives.

Your voice is urgently needed: The WHO together with partners have drafted an action plan to end preventable newborn deaths (Every Newborn Action Plan). The draft is now online for a public consultation process with the deadline on the 28th of February. It is crucial that midwives have an input as the plan will affect midwives in their work and midwifery on a global level. Strong indications from midwives are needed that this Action Plan is about high quality midwifery, normal birth and normal care of healthy babies (as well as the complications and treatments highlighted in the document).

Feedback is coming in to WHO, but sadly not (yet!) from midwives. The voices of midwives are urgently needed!

Thank you to those who have responded. For those who have not yet, kindly take some time from your busy schedule and provide feedback to this important document. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard and make sure the midwife perspective is included in the plan! Click on the link to comment: http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/topics/newborn/enap_consultation/en/ 

The deadline is FEBRUARY 28th and unfortunately cannot be extended.

Thank you for the time and effort.

Kind regards

Charlotte Renard
International Confederation of Midwives

Calling for Abstracts for the 6th Virtual International Day of the Midwife Conference

The organising committee for the 6th Virtual International Day of the Midwife Conference (#VIDM2014) are calling for the submission of abstracts for the 2014 conference.

Please see http://vidm.wikispaces.com/ for information.

The conference is a free, 24 hour online spectacular.

Midwives, obstetricians and consumers from all over the world present their point of view/research/experience from their own homes or offices to others, all around the world in their homes or offices.

Each session lasts about 50 minutes. Each presenter has a facilitator, so that anyone can do it.

The webpage provides the following information for those of you who are considering sharing your world with the rest of us:

"While the EOI must be in English, we welcome presentations on the day in other languages. We also welcome EOI from non-midwives and midwifery students. Presenters need not be experienced in using electronic media - each presenter will be allocated a facilitator who will be able to give support at every stage. However, presenters do need to have access to a computer with reliable Internet access, a headset and preferably a webcam. Presenters will also need to commit to attending a practice session so that we are all as assured as we can be, that the technology will work well for you on the day".

This beautiful statue was commissioned for a conference in Europe and photographed by one of the conference participants.  He put the photo on Facebook and gave permission to share it.  I can't find the details, but as soon as I do, I'll put them on here.  In the meantime, enjoy the beauty and the art.