The theme of the 2011 congress is “Midwives tackling the ‘Big 5’ globally”.
While the ‘Big 5’ in Africa is synonymous with safaris and wildlife – particularly Lion, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, rhinoceros* & leopard - midwives face their own ‘Big 5’ challenges which impact them as well as the health of women and neonates in the various settings in which they practice.
Recognising the impact of the work of midwives with childbearing families on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and that this congress takes place 4 years before the MDG target date of 2015 is reached, we have identified five subthemes to accommodate the agendas of midwives. While each country / region will have its own ‘Big 5’ issues, we anticipate that all should find a place in one of the sub-themes.
Globalisation
This sub-theme covers opportunities for midwives from all over the world to support and encourage one another through collaboration and the sharing of experiences, both similar and different. It will highlight human resource issues and migration of midwives, developing sustainable women and child health care programmes particularly in middle and low income settings, and exploring the impact of HIV/AIDS on midwifery services.
Listening to Women and their Partners
This sub-theme focuses on the voice of women and their partners in reproductive health and learning from these perspectives and expectations. It includes issues of communication, emotional support and the role of support/network groups in maternity care. It also incorporates the critical issue of human rights – protecting the wellbeing of vulnerable children, young people and women, particularly in relation to gender-based violence and their legal status.
The Continuum of Care
This sub-theme is concerned with enhancing the provision of family-focused care. It follows the reproductive health continuum covering midwifery practice from pre-conception, through birth to infancy, across all reproductive age ranges including the adolescent, in various patterns of family organisation, and across all settings from home to critical care. It will also highlight the need for transformation of health systems in relation to women, children and neonates so that the challenges to maternal and neonatal health, morbidity and mortality are addressed.
Strengthening Midwives and Midwifery Practice
This sub-theme addresses issues specific to enabling midwives so that they can develop strength in their professional identity and practice. This will include formal and non-formal education, innovation and application of midwifery research, effective leadership and the development of enabling environments, the place of midwives in the structure and governance of the profession within health systems, financing of midwifery provision, and ethical challenges facing midwives as a result of technological advances and changing health profiles.
Cultures, Societies and Traditions
‘Ubuntu’ is a southern African philosophy which expresses itself as ‘we are / become who we are through other people’. In recognising our common humanity and the richness of our diversity this sub-theme will highlight the importance of societal and indigenous knowledge impacting in care of childbearing families cultural beliefs and customs (both traditional and western) and how they impact positively and/or negatively on maternity care and gender issues. It also covers the role of non-midwives in the provision of maternity care.
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