

Investing in midwives doesn’t just lead to positive health outcomes - it also contributes to building economies and achieving gender equality. It’s estimated that addressing this gap and fully investing in the global midwifery workforce would save 4.2 million lives each year, or around two-thirds of all maternal and neonatal deaths and stillbirths.

The world is facing a shortage of 900,000 midwives, mostly in Africa: that’s one-third of the number of midwives required to meet global demand.

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the vital role midwives play in protecting the lives of women and children around the world - and the importance of investing in them.
