Kigali, Rwanda – September 2024: The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is thrilled to announce that Kigali will be the host city for the 2024 ICM Regional Conference for Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean Region, an event that happens once every 3 years and that was last hosted in Namibia. This event, co-hosted by the Rwanda Association of Midwives (RAM), will bring the largest delegation of midwives ever to Kigali from September 24-26, 2024. Attendees will arrive from across the African continent and the Eastern Mediterranean region to connect, learn, and network.
The conference aims to equip midwives with the knowledge and skills needed to build stronger midwives’ associations, which are the essential building block for a sustainable and strong midwifery profession, which can then improve the maternal and newborn health outcomes . Midwives’ associations play a critical role in policy development, effective collaboration, and enhancing the quality of care provided. Both midwives and midwives’ associations are essential for achieving universal health coverage and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“As we come together in Kigali, we are reminded of the power of a shared vision in transforming health outcomes,” said Sandra Oyarzo, President ICM. “In Africa, where diverse challenges meet profound opportunities, aligning our efforts and insights is crucial. By working collectively, we can ensure that every midwife is empowered to contribute to a stronger, more resilient healthcare system that benefits all.”
The first two conference days will feature workshops focused on organizational development and practice enhancement, supporting midwives from national, regional, local, and student associations. Participants will attend all six workshops, with French interpretation available. The third conference day will offer half- and full-day skills workshops on various topics, organised by ICM and its partners, to enhance practical skills and advanced techniques to help midwives grow their clinical practice skills. Midwives will also have the opportunity to share research results and knowledge through poster presentations, providing insights into regional midwifery practices and key messages for the field.
The Opening Ceremony on September 24 will feature esteemed speakers, including ICM’s President Sandra Oyarzo Torrez, Chief Executive Sally Pairman, Chief Midwife Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent,, and Board members from Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean Regions. Additional esteemed speakers from the region will be announced soon.
——————————————————————————————————————————
– About RAM: Established in 2011, the Rwanda Association of Midwives (RAM) is the leading professional organization representing midwives in Rwanda. Officially recognized as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) by the Rwanda Governance Board in 2018, RAM joined ICM in 2013. RAM is dedicated to promoting midwifery through advocacy and enhancing leadership, management, and governance in the health system. With a current membership of 420 active members out of a total of 2600 midwives in Rwanda, RAM continues to advance the practice of midwifery in the country.
About ICM: The International Confederation of Midwives has been the global voice of midwives and midwives’ associations for over 100 years. Representing more than 136 midwives’ associations in 117 countries, ICM supports over one million midwives globally. As a trusted partner for technical consultations, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and promoting human rights and sustainability, ICM upholds the midwifery model of care based on respect, dignity, compassion, and the promotion of human rights for all. This includes the right to access quality care from autonomous midwives.
For more information, please contact:
Email: info@ram.rw Phone: 0793906990
Learn more about ICM: https://internationalmidwives.org/
Learn more about the event: https://www.icmregionals.org/kigali/