The past decades have seen significant achievements in global development goals and targets. Some have led to better access to sexual and reproductive health care. However, for women from poor, marginalized communities, and those living in remote locations, reproductive health related morbidity and mortality remains a serious challenge. The research presented in this brief focuses on building a midwifery profession in order to promote the rights women and girls.Six South Asian countries were in focus in this research – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
The report was presented during the seminar SRHR.
Main findings
- The establishment of a midwifery profession in the South Asia region has made some progress towards a grounded profession, but much remains before it is fully established.
- Missing characteristics were: a unique body of knowledge and skills (except for Afghanistan and Bangladesh); a clear statement of code of ethics; a defined scope of practice; self-governing-autonomous; and formal recognition by society.
- Both system facilitators and barriers affected the connections between the actors (governments, policy-makers, donors, and academia and non- government organisations) in the establishment of the midwifery profession in Bangladesh and Nepal.
- To establish a midwifery profession in accordance with international standards will require a comprehensive collaborative system approach.
Malin Bogren defended her thesis “Building a midwifery profession in South Asia” in 2016 at the University of Gothenburg. Strategy for supporting low-income countries in building a midwifery profession is a summary of her thesis.