Dr. Natalia Kanem, the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has raised concerns about a global shortfall of nearly one million midwives, warning that this deficit is endangering countless lives, particularly in crisis situations.
Kanem made the remarks in a statement released on Monday to mark the International Day of the Midwife, which is celebrated annually on 5 May.
The theme for 2025, “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis,” emphasises the vital role midwives play in humanitarian and emergency contexts worldwide.
She pointed out that midwives are capable of delivering up to 90 percent of essential services in sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health, including family planning. They also play a pivotal role in supporting survivors of gender-based violence, which often escalates in times of crisis.
“Midwives often put their own lives at risk to reach women and girls in remote or crisis-affected areas,” Kanem said.
However, despite their crucial role, she lamented that midwifery remains under-recognised and underfunded, an issue exacerbated during emergencies.
Kanem explained that chronic underinvestment in midwifery has led to a lack of adequate training, poor infrastructure, insufficient supplies, and low wages—factors that undermine the quality of care and endanger maternal and newborn health.
She warned that in humanitarian settings, women are twice as likely to die during childbirth and stressed that deploying midwives during disaster and emergency responses is a cost-effective and life-saving strategy.
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Kanem expressed deep concern about recent cuts to humanitarian funding, noting that these reductions are likely to worsen existing care gaps, with tragic consequences for women and girls, especially in fragile regions.
“Midwives are already reporting increasing death rates among women and newborns in conflict zones and fragile contexts, areas where more than 60 percent of global maternal deaths occur,” she said.
Kanem further emphasised that midwives could prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, while also bringing significant economic and social benefits, including reduced healthcare costs and a more productive workforce.
“Women and entire communities would be more resilient in times of crisis and better positioned to recover from it,” she added.
She called on governments and international donors to support UNFPA’s Midwifery Accelerator initiative, which aims to increase financial and programme investments in midwifery services before more lives are lost.
The International Day of the Midwife, established in 1992 by the International Confederation of Midwives, honours the profession and raises global awareness of its essential contributions to maternal and newborn health.
