Society of Midwives South Africa's 8th Annual Conference

Conference

Date of event:

2 Dec 2008 - 5 Dec 2008

Event details:

Journalists are invited to cover the 8th Annual Conference of the Society of Midwives South Africa (SOMSA) where 1,000 midwives from across South Africa and eight other African countries will gather to deliberate on issues affecting midwifery policy and practice. The theme of the conference is "Invest in Midwifery and Build a Safer Future".

Representatives from Ipas will be participating in the conference. Ipas has also sponsored the participation of midwives from other African countries. Ipas is a global non-governmental organisation whose mission is to enable women to exercise fully their sexual and reproductive rights and to reduce deaths and disabilities due to unsafe abortion.

This has been a historic year for midwives across the globe. At the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) 28th Triennial Congress, held in June 2008 in Glasgow, Scotland, council members voted to expand midwives' reproductive health role to include safe abortion where legally permitted.

Midwives spoke passionately about the impact of abortion-related maternal deaths in their countries and their experiences with women who die due to a lack of services. "Never before had midwives spoken so passionately or eloquently on a subject that had always been denied attention at the ICM Board," said incoming ICM President Bridget Lynch.

Equally important is that the ICM at the triennial congress voted for two African midwives to represent the African continent on the ICM Board. One of them is SOMSA president Deliwe Nyathikazi. The next ICM triennial congress will be held in South Africa in Durban in June 2011. This will be the first time that the ICM will convene in Africa. Ipas regards this as an opportunity to make ICM understand the need for midwives to make a contribution in reducing deaths as a result of unsafe abortion.

SOMSA's 8th annual congress presents an opportunity to prepare for the next ICM triennial congress. Ipas invites health and general reporters to cover this significant event.

Event Address

Country:

Afghanistan

Event Contact Details

Event Contact Phone Number:

0118802482 or +254-20-3877239/3870248

Event Contact Person:

Karen Trueman, Ipas Interim Director or Mosotho Gabriel, Ipas Programme Director

Cell number:

0829056105 or 079 88 424 00