KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations Population Fund says investing in one million additional midwives worldwide is the most effective way to prevent maternal and newborn deaths, as health systems in many countries, including Afghanistan, continue to struggle with shortages of skilled birth attendants.
In a statement marking International Midwives Day on May 5, UNFPA Afghanistan stated that expanding the midwifery workforce would significantly improve access to antenatal care, safe childbirth services, and postnatal support, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
“One million more midwives,” the agency stated. “Midwives save lives by bringing skill, courage, and hope to the community.”
Maternal mortality remains a major global health challenge, with hundreds of thousands of women dying each year from pregnancy and childbirth complications that are largely preventable with timely medical care and skilled attendance.
Access gaps remain most severe in low-resource and conflict-affected countries, where shortages of trained health workers and limited healthcare infrastructure restrict essential services for women and newborns.
In Afghanistan, one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates, an estimated one woman dies every hour from pregnancy-related complications. Many of these deaths occur in areas where access to clinics, hospitals, and trained midwives is limited.
The situation has worsened since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, as restrictions on female education, including medical training institutes, and limits on women’s participation in the health workforce have reduced the number of trained midwives and female health professionals. Aid groups say the policies have disrupted the pipeline of new health workers at a time of growing need.
The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have also reported a rise in child marriages in the country, a practice that often leads to early pregnancies and increases the risk of complications during childbirth for young mothers.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned last week that Afghanistan could lose more than 25,000 female teachers and health workers by 2030 if current restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment continue. The agency projects that up to 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 female health workers could leave the workforce by the end of the decade.
International Midwives Day, observed annually by the World Health Organization and the International Confederation of Midwives, aims to highlight the critical contribution of midwives to maternal and newborn health, mortality reduction, and community wellbeing. The day seeks to raise global awareness of their role and advocate for stronger investment in the profession.
