International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Kärnstöd 2024-2026 International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Core Support 2024-2026 The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) has requested continued core support of SEK 29,000,000 for the implementation of its strategic plan for the years 2024-2026. ICM is a global network of more than a hundred national and regional midwifery associations. ICM's overall goal is that every childbearing woman should have access to midwifery care for herself and her newborn child. By strengthening midwives and promoting the global capacity of the midwifery profession, the effort contributes to safe pregnancy and childbirth, as well as promoting SRHR, for everyone but with a focus on the poorest countries.

ICM's programmatic work focuses on midwifery as well as an integrated approach to sexual, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health care (SRMNCAH) and women's and girls' rights. Sida's core support during 2020-2023 has been decisive for ICM's work to strengthen the organization and position itself as a leader in the midwifery profession. The support has resulted in ICM's obvious place in global contexts relating to midwifery as well as SRHR, and in close collaborations with UNFPA and WHO. Sida's continued core support gives ICM the opportunity to continue building and strengthening its organization and capacity to more effectively implement its strategy. During 2024, no forward funding of Sida funds is allowed. The agreement, however, opens up the possibility for ICM to forward funding if decided contractual conditions are met. International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) har efterfrågat fortsatt kärnstöd på 29 000 000 kr för implementeringen av sin strategiska plan för åren 2024-2026. ICM är ett globalt nätverk som består av mer än hundra nationella och regionala barnmorskeförbund. ICM:s övergripande mål är att varje gravid kvinna ska ha tillgång till barnmorskevård för sig och sitt nyfödda barn. Genom att kapacitetstärka barnmorskor och främja barnmorskeyrket globalt bidrar insatsen till att trygga graviditet och förlossningar, samt att främja SRHR, för alla i hela världen med fokus på de fattigaste länderna. 

ICM:s programmatiska arbete fokuserar på barnmorskor, sexuell-, reproduktiv-, mödra-, neonatal-, barn- och ungdomshälsovård (SRMNCAH) och kvinnors- och flickors rättigheter. Sidas kärnstöd under 2020-2023 har varit avgörande för ICMs arbete att stärka organisationen och positionera sig som ledande inom barnmorskeproffessionen. Stödet har resulterat i att ICM nu har en självklar plats i globala sammanhang samt nära samarbeten med UNFPA och WHO. Sidas fortsatta kärnstödfinansiering ger ICM möjligheten att fortsätta bygga upp och stärka sin organisation och kapacitet för att mer effektivt implementera sin strategi. Under 2024 kommer inga Sida medel att vidareförmedlas, men avtalet öppnar för möjligheten för ICM att vidareförmedla om beslutade avtalsvillkor uppfylls. ICM Strategic Priorities 2024-2026

Strategic Priority 1: Drive innovation, leadership, and sustainability for the future of midwifery

- Ensure a sustainable ICM, including human, social, economic, and environmental elements. 

- Facilitate a responsive ICM that is constantly learning and responding to the needs of its members in new and improved ways.

- Equip Member Associations and midwives across all generations to claim their place as sustainable leaders and secure their roles at decision-making tables and communities, across the midwifery profession both globally and locally, and in aligned sectors.

- Ensure ICM is engaged with donors, partners, governments, and the private sector to provide technical assistance, and leadership in the development and implementation of midwife-led services, new resources and innovations.   

- Utilise and promote more digital knowledge management resources to reach and support midwives and their associations at all stages of their professional development globally.

Strategic Priority 2: Support the dissemination and implementation of the Professional Framework for Midwifery

- Promote midwives as autonomous professionals to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies and quality SRMNAH care. 

- Describe and advocate for an enabling environment for midwives that facilitates the necessary professional agency, system-level infrastructure, integration, and funding needed for midwives to practise across the full scope of practice of a midwife, as defined by ICM.

- Strengthen midwifery essential competencies, education, regulation and leadership.

- Drive the use of research and evidence for the profession of midwifery and midwife-led continuity of care.

- Elevate the unique role of midwives associations as the voice for midwives and to support and advance the profession.

Strategic Priority 3: Collaborate with partners to grow the movement for midwifery and elevate the role of midwives as competent and respected healthcare providers who put womens voices at the centre.

- Leverage advocacy and communications to influence and educate policymakers and wider audiences about the positive impact of midwives on maternal and newborn health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality, in addition to impacts on families and communities.

- Equip midwives and Member Associations with data and tools to effectively advocate for continuity of midwife care, maternal, newborn, sexual and reproductive health and rights.

- Utilise effective and equitable relationships to build and support the profession of midwifery and expand the influence of ICM.

- Support Member Associations to build up partnerships with womens groups and communities.

- Support partnerships between midwives and women.

- Strengthen partnerships between midwives and other stakeholders, including global and national policymakers, other health workers and professionals, other health professional associations and partners across sectors.

Strategic Priority 4: Work in partnership to ensure Member Associations are prepared and well positioned to respond to emergent humanitarian and climate crises.

- Build new partnerships to mitigate the effects of humanitarian and climate crises on women and newborns by advocating to wider audiences on the important role midwives play in crisis situations and securing new funding and partnerships in the humanitarian and climate sectors.

- Establish and secure funding dedicated to providing Member Associations with essential resources (equipment, services, supplies, etc.) in times of humanitarian crisis.

- Enhance Member Association training to better support responses to crises including promoting midwife leadership in national and local preparedness planning and knowledge sharing between MAs.