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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the European venue for the potential summit could be a place where discussions take place on a permanent basis.

The starting point for the proposal was defining a collective security clause “that would allow Ukraine to benefit from the support of all its partners, including the US”, Italian president Meloni said in a statement

Several European leaders emphasised their willingness to “work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support”

Most reactions came from Eastern European countries. However, the German chair of the Defence Committee also had strong words

President Trump hand-delivered the letter during his recent summit with Putin in Alaska

Entre jazz, pop et chansons traditionnelles du Zagorje, c'était l'une des plus grandes voix croates du XXe siècle. Gabi Novak est décédée à l'âge de 90 ans, deux mois après son fils, le pianiste de jazz Matija Dedić.

- Le fil de l'Info / Culture et éducation, Croatie, Personnalités, Courrier des Balkans

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin made no breakthrough on Ukraine at their summit, but vaguely pointed to areas of agreement

If ever in its eighty-year existence Europe was being decisive, it is now. Still, citizens feel that politics is a stacked deck where “There is no choice”. How come?

Putin stepped onto Western soil for the first time since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022

“Litter Flourish”- A collage by New York-based artist Juno Lam that represents the “amalgamation of the negligence people have for the environment”. Credit: Juno Lam

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 15 2025 (IPS)

In the 1900s, global discussions around climate change and fossil fuel usage reached new heights, leading to the emergence of climate change art. Since then, it has remained a key theme in contemporary art, with artists and corporations alike continuing to push messages of climate reform to instill a sense of urgency, fear, and shared responsibility in viewers.

The climate crisis has severely escalated over the past few years, with 2024 and 2025 being marked by brutal natural disasters, environmental decay, and significant losses of human life around the world. Despite the vast amount of climate change data released since the 1970s, a significant portion of the world still denies the existence of climate change, particularly in the United States.

Oftentimes, the general public struggles to understand the scope of scientific and political developments due to their complexity or inaccessibility. Data surrounding the acceleration of the climate crisis is often rooted in complex terminology and shrouded by significant amounts of mis- and dis-information on popular social media platforms.

Historically, artists have relied on visual arts to convey messages to their audience, using tools such as symbolism, composition, and color to evoke specific emotions or draw attention to certain world issues. Many works in the climate change art movement use these tools to depict the destructive impact of human activity on the environment, the disproportionate effects on marginalized communities, and the growing threat of human extinction.

Large-Scale Impact Projects

One such project is Scaling Urban Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SUNCASA), a three-year project driven by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) that aims to empower marginalized communities, promote sustainable practices, and find environment-based solutions to benefit over 2.2 million people living in high-risk communities in sub-Saharan Africa.

On June 10, SUNCASA unveiled its transformative, new art project at the Nature, Climate, and Gender Symposium. The Litter Traps and Art Project, based in the Alexandra township of Johannesburg, South Africa, creates interactive art installations that act as tools to reduce flooding, clean up solid waste from rivers, strengthen biodiversity, and foster new conversations surrounding climate action.

“We’ve turned the detritus of urban life into guardians of the river,” said Hannelie Coetzee, an environment scientist and the lead artist on the project. “Each trap speaks to what has been discarded — physically and socially — and transforms it into a symbol of care. Art is not an add-on here; it is central to ecological restoration.”

David van Niekerk, CEO of the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership (JICP), noted that this installation stands out for its involvement from the local community and its role as an educational resource for both tourists and locals. Being more than just an aesthetic feature of the township, the installation symbolizes the importance of community-centered approaches, as well as sustainability and environmental protection.

In 2023, the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM), the nonprofit arts organization Julie’s Bicycle, the Gallery Climate Coalition, and ART 2030 established the Art Charter for Climate Action (ACCA) in an effort to recognize the transformative role of visual art in the fight against the climate crisis.

ACCA currently contains over 1,000 members from 70 countries, including partners from museums, corporations, and nonprofit groups, as well as contemporary artists and arts sector stakeholders. In 2024, Julie’s Bicycle announced that ACCA would collaborate with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aiming to achieve global net zero emissions by 2030.

“In order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, it is essential that all sectors take transformative climate action now,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. “In addition to reducing its global emissions, arts and culture play a critical role in inspiring people to imagine and realise a low carbon, just and climate-resilient future.”

The Individual Level

An IPS correspondent spoke with local artists in New York City that incorporate messages of climate reform and sustainability through their work. Among them is Oriel Ceballos, also known as OR1EL, a mixed-media artist based in Brooklyn.
“Throughout history, art has helped humanity bring greater attention to issues like colonialism, racism, police brutality, gender inequality, climate change, militarism, the prison industrial complex, poverty, global hunger, homelessness, and many others that plague our existence. Without the voice of artists, it is difficult to amplify issues and mobilize people. That’s why all art forms are crucial in raising important issues that impact people,” said Cellabos.

OR1EL elaborated on his artistic approach when addressing climate issues, stating that his recent pieces employ language and a minimal use of color to emphasize advocacy messages of advocacy. “I am known for doing pieces with figures wearing gas masks to highlight air pollution. In my work, you can see pieces where I address how factories or urban life destroys nature. Other works depict the juxtaposition between urban life and a life more in harmony with nature,” he said.

Juno Lam is an illustrator and collagist who advocates for sustainability by repurposing found objects and scraps to reimagine the world using man-made materials. “My work with collage is a response to climate change with the ephemera I find. Right now, we are considered to be living in the Anthropocene era, a time where humans are really a defining force on Earth,” Lam told IPS.

Lam continued: “One thing I feel we can take for granted is really being able to use everything you have around you. A lot of things that we use are used once and thrown away. A lot of these things end up in landfills or are incinerated, becoming trapped in our atmosphere. What would it mean to be able to give something discarded a place where it will be appreciated? To make use of a material, or item, time and time again until it breaks. The broken pieces I put together make an attempt to connect, whether it be glued or drawn together.”

IPS also spoke to Ripley Rice, a multimedia artist and sculptor who works in bio-art. Looking to evoke a sense of unease and inspire audiences to look further into science, Rice stated that bio-art can include studying biotechnology, genetic engineering, conducting surveys and research, and presenting this data in a visually striking way in an effort to spread awareness on humanity’s role in environmental degradation, and engage communities in science and ecology.

Wooden dolls carved by Rice, made with wood stained with a fungus (C. Aeruginescens) that’s present in Northeastern America more frequently as a result of climate change and rising temperatures. Credit: Ripley Rice

“When I make art, my goal is to create something visually interesting enough to get people to care about what I’m trying to say,” said Rice. “By engaging my audience with science and nature, I’m connecting them to the earth and trying to spark that love and fascination that I have…Something I talk about in my art a lot is humans’ impact and power over the organisms that we share this planet with.”

Rice also explained the messages of some of their newest ecology-inspired pieces, including a portrait of a deer that gazes confrontationally at a viewer, as though judging humans “for our sin of encroaching on their land”. Rice is currently working with biopolymers in the hopes of incorporating them into their newest works, as well as studying the mycelium of a fungus that stains wood blue as it digests decaying logs in forest ecosystems.

“There is a throughline of nature, biology, and power structures. We can only bring about change if we dismantle the power structures and relinquish some of our control over the Earth and its resources…If I think too hard about our destruction of nature, I feel hopeless and nihilistic. All you can do is try your hardest to shine your little light while the world gets darker and darker”.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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India is grappling with a pressing issue-a stray dog population that exceeds 62 million, leading to a severe public health toll. Credit: Hari Krishna Nibanupudi

By Hari Krishna Nibanupudi
HYDERABAD, India, Aug 15 2025 (IPS)

During a suo moto hearing, a Supreme Court (SC) of India judge startled the Solicitor General and Amicus Curiae with a line from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966): “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” For animal welfare advocates, it felt like a warning shot—not at criminals, but at India’s street dogs.

The two-judge bench questioned the rule requiring sterilised dogs to be returned to their original localities, ordered all strays rounded up and moved to shelters (that don’t exist), ordered immediate action over legal formalities, and asked pointedly, “Will animal lovers bring back children who died due to rabies?”

The Court warned that “so-called animal lovers, obstructing removals, would face contempt charges”. In the gallery, Gauri Maulekhi of People for Animals watched in disbelief as her counsel’s interventions were cut short.

When respected, street dogs become allies and guardians; when abused, they respond with fear and aggression, perpetuating conflict. India faces a choice between punitive crackdowns and humane, proactive management that protects both people and animals

The Court’s combative tone and disregard for due process sparked nationwide uproar. Police crackdowns on peaceful protests further inflamed emotions, as celebrities and civil society leaders joined a growing movement against what many saw as the criminalisation of compassion.

The Chief Justice of the SC intervened on time, transferring the case to a new three-judge bench, which thankfully heard all sides on 14th August, and reserved its verdict.

 

The Escalating Public Health Crisis and the backlash

India is grappling with a pressing issue-a stray dog population that exceeds 62 million, leading to a severe public health toll. In 2024 alone, there were 3.7 million animal bite cases and 54 confirmed rabies deaths, a nearly 70% rise in bite incidents since 2022.

Children under 15 accounted for 5,19,704 instances—20% of all victims. Chilling attacks underscore these numbers: a four-year-old in Hyderabad mauled on CCTV, a seven-month-old in Noida killed in a gated society, and multiple fatal incidents in Delhi, Telangana, and Rajasthan, including hospital premises. Such tragedies, even in supposedly safe spaces, have intensified demands for immediate and decisive action.

Public outrage has at times turned violent. In August 2025, a man in Rajasthan shot 25 dogs in two days (India Today), while a Karnataka legislator boasted of killing 2,800 dogs and being “ready to go to jail.” In Mumbai, a housing society hired bouncers to stop residents from feeding strays, prompting the Bombay High Court to protect feeders.

Judicial comments have also drawn criticism for lacking a scientific and ethical basis. The Delhi High Court claimed feeding strays makes them territorial, and a Kerala judge said human lives should take precedence. Such views ignore research showing that feeding with sterilisation and vaccination reduces aggression and stabilises populations, while root causes lie in human neglect and poor waste management.

Legally, animals are protected under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, safeguarding caregivers from harassment. A 2022 amendment bill seeks stronger protections but remains pending. The SC’s National Capital Region (NCR) order, however, alters the impact of existing provisions and effectively nullifies aspects of the proposed amendment in the region.

 

A Measured SC Directive, but Feasibility Remains in Doubt

The SC’s written order, in stark contrast to the aggressive tone of its hearing, offers a ray of hope. It replaces rhetoric with detailed operational measures, embedding public safety within a constitutional framework. The order mandates the complete removal of stray dogs from the NCR, links rabies control to public health services, and sets strict shelter standards.

As per the order, authorities must relocate all strays to shelters, suspending the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules 2023 “capture-and-release” clause. Dogs must be sterilised, vaccinated, and dewormed, with facilities for 5,000 animals ready in six to eight weeks, ensuring proper care, staffing, and CCTV oversight.

A helpline must be operational within a week, enabling pickups within four hours. The order also requires daily tracking of dogs, immediate medical aid for bite victims, public disclosure of vaccine stocks, and consideration of a dedicated animal-control force. Framed as an urgent public health mandate, the directive demands strict timelines and accountability.

Yet, feasibility remains in question. Maneka Gandhi, a leading animal rights activist and former environment minister, estimates Delhi alone would require $2 billion to establish such shelters, excluding costs for food, medicine, and sanitation. With no large-scale, functional shelter currently in place, developing the necessary infrastructure could take at least five years.

 

Choosing Co-Existence Over Conflict

India’s problem is not policy gaps but weak enforcement. Strict application of the ABC Rules 2023—sterilisation, vaccination, and responsible feeding—can stabilise stray populations.

Municipal bodies must partner with NGOs and trained feeders to ensure health monitoring, humane treatment, and rapid response. Scaling up sterilisation and vaccination through mobile clinics and sustained funding, as seen in Goa’s Mission Rabies, can eliminate rabies without mass confinement. Hostility toward street dogs is unethical and ineffective.

Humane, coordinated action—combining vaccination, sterilisation, trained community caretakers, and animal sensitivity education—is essential. Empowered NGOs and resident associations, supported with veterinary services and funding, can manage populations responsibly, ensuring safety, health, and harmonious co-existence between humans and animals.

Like abandoned children who flourish when nurtured, street dogs, too, thrive with care. Suresh and Hema, my neighbours in suburban Hyderabad, adopted two strays, feeding and treating them warmly.

They grew healthy, resembling Labradors, while their littermates perished or became aggressive. Similarly, Parnasri cares for four strays—feeding, medicating, and even educating dog-fearing neighbours. Now, these dogs are embraced by multiple households and protect homes from thieves.

When respected, street dogs become allies and guardians; when abused, they respond with fear and aggression, perpetuating conflict. India faces a choice between punitive crackdowns and humane, proactive management that protects both people and animals.

The SC’s NCR order tackles public health but demands scrutiny on cost, feasibility, and ethics. Success lies in creating safer streets and dignified animal lives—balancing compassion with science and law to set a global example.

Hari Krishna Nibanupudi is an India-based animal Rights Advocate and is associated with multiple animal welfare organisations

Après dix jours de négociations intenses, les centaines de délégués du monde entier réunis à Genève n’ont pas réussi à s’entendre sur un traité mondial très attendu sur les plastiques.

The post Traité mondial sur le plastique : à Genève, les négociations se soldent par un « échec cuisant » appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Trump and Putin are en route to Alaska for their first face-to-face meeting since 2019

Rights groups said Pakistan arrested hundreds of Afghan refugees this week, including some accepted into a German programme and awaiting visas

Réunie en urgence jeudi 14 août, la commission des Relations internationales du parlement belge a été le théâtre de vifs débats concernant la position de la Belgique sur la reconnaissance de la Palestine, d’un génocide, et d’éventuelles sanctions contre Israël.

The post Les députés belges critiquent l’inaction du gouvernement au sujet de Gaza appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Brighton and The Gambia forward Yankuba Minteh says the motivation to change his family's life inspired his football dream.

Edgar Lungu, who died in June, is yet to be buried - the debate over what next exposes deep divisions.

Belgian MPs blasted the government for failing to take a clear stance on the war in Gaza at a parliamentary hearing on Thursday, as governing coalition remains divided over Israel

The OIC Group at an Aug. 12 press briefing to present their joint statement on recent developments in the Gaza Strip, following an OIC Group emergency meeting on Aug. 11 after Israel announced its plan to take complete military control of the Gaza Strip. Credit: Naomi Myint Breuer/IPS

By Naomi Myint Breuer
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 15 2025 (IPS)

The world is becoming increasingly outraged at Israel for its actions in the ongoing war against Hamas, particularly amid the recent killings of Palestinian journalists and Israel’s announcement of its plan to seize complete military control of the Gaza Strip.

The plan, which the Israeli Security Cabinet approved on August 8, includes disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, implementing Israeli control of the Gaza Strip and establishing “an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority,” according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s posts on X.

“The [Israel Defence Forces (IDF)] will prepare for taking control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” Netanyahu posted on X.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation to the United Nations (OIC Group) released a joint statement condemning and rejecting the plan on August 12. The statement was released following an OIC Group emergency meeting on August 11.

“We consider this announcement a dangerous and unacceptable escalation, a flagrant violation of international law, and an attempt to entrench the illegal occupation and impose a fait accompli by force, in contravention of international law, international humanitarian law and relevant United Nations resolutions,” the statement said.

The Group demanded an immediate and complete end to Israel’s violence against the Gaza Strip and an end to the damages to civilians and civilian infrastructure. They also demanded that Israel permit humanitarian assistance to enter and work in the Gaza Strip at scale.

“The group reaffirms that this declared course of action by Israel constitutes a continuation of its grave violations, including killing and starvation, attempts at forced displacement, and annexation of Palestinian land, the settler terrorism, which are crimes that may amount to crimes against humanity,” the statement said.

In a statement on August 8, United Nations (UN) Human Rights Chief Volker Türk demanded the “immediate halt” of the plan. The plan, he said, conflicts with the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling that Israel must end its occupation and agree to a two-State solution and that Palestinians have the right to self-determination.

“Instead of intensifying this war, the Israeli Government should put all its efforts into saving the lives of Gaza’s civilians by allowing the full, unfettered flow of humanitarian aid,” he said.

Another major topic of discussion is the Aug. 10 targeted killing of six journalists, including four Al-Jazeera journalists, in Gaza City, which increased discussion about Israel’s human rights violations. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) reported that 238 journalists have been killed since the war began.

“The deliberate targeting of journalists by Israel in the Gaza Strip reveals how these crimes are beyond imagination, amid the inability of the int’l community & its laws to stop this tragedy,” Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani posted on X. “May God have mercy on journalists Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammed Qraiqea, & their colleagues.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an independent and impartial investigation into the killing.

“Journalists and media workers must be respected, they must be protected, and they must be allowed to carry out their work freely, free from fear and free from harassment,” Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said on August 11.

The OIC Group will be hosting a special meeting to discuss next steps following this tragedy, according to Deputy Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the UN Fikriye Asli Güven. Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, said the OIC Group is also pressuring the Security Council to take action.

“This is a deliberate policy to silence the journalists, but we were all aware that the truth cannot be silenced,” Güven said.

Amid the developments in Gaza, Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, said the OIC Group and the Security Council are observing a more unified front developing against Israel.

“There is a merging cohesion and unity and outrage of what is really happening, and they are exerting tremendous amounts of pressure in order to stop the killing, stop the military operations to have a permanent ceasefire, to force allowing humanitarian assistance to take place,” Mansour said.

This shift is also visible in the positions an increasing number of countries criticizing Israel’s plans.

The foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom, as well as the High Representative of the European Union, released a joint statement on August 9 rejecting the Israeli plan for Gaza.

“The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law,” the statement said. “Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.”

The ministers urged for an end to the “terrible conflict” and for Israel to change its registration system of humanitarian organizations to allow humanitarian workers into the region.

“Their exclusion would be an egregious signal,” the statement said.

The ministers also asserted their support for a two-state solution.

Mansour praised the recent actions of European countries to pressure Israel, such as Spain’s reduction of arms sales to Israel and Germany’s arms export ban to Israel, which he called a “modest but it’s a very important step.”

He also praised Norway’s withdrawal of assets in Israel, Colombia’s withdrawal of coal trade, and Australia’s recognition of the state of Palestine. He calls these steps “practical” and a fast way to pressure Israel.

The OIC Group called upon the international community, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, to stop Israel’s policies undermining peace and violating international and international humanitarian law.

They also pushed for a two-State solution and the implementation of the Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan of the Gaza strip, a plan led by Egypt to rebuild Gaza, and participation in the upcoming reconstruction conference in Cairo.

“We affirm that a just and lasting peace can only be achieved through the implementation of the two-State solution,” the Group’s statement said.

For Mansour, a united global front will be crucial to accelerating the pace at which countries decide to take action against Israel.

“There is nothing that we can do about those who are killed, but we can do a lot about saving the lives of those who are still alive, and it is our responsibility to do everything possible in order to save their lives,” he said.

By September, Mansour said he hopes to have 100 more counties sign the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State solution, which was created by France and Saudi Arabia at the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in July. The conference will resume on September 22, according to Mansour. He said the New York Declaration must become the “blueprint” and “global consensus.”

“It is not the destiny of the Palestinian people to have an eternal conflict with Israel and to keep losing thousands of our children and women and our people at the hand of this war machine by Israel,” Mansour said. “It is our duty to convince everyone that there is another alternative, the alternative of immediate ceasefire.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Strong health systems start with midwives. Credit: Unsplash

By Shreya Komar
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 15 2025 (IPS)

Asia-Pacific’s midwives are a healthcare lifeline capable of delivering nearly 90 percent of essential maternal and newborn services. Yet the region grapples with severe shortages, underinvestment, and systemic neglect.

The newly released State of Asia’s Midwifery 2024 Report, released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), reveals that despite midwives’ lifesaving potential, many countries lack enough workers, face poor training and support systems, and struggle with weak policy backing. The findings underscore an urgent need to elevate midwives from auxiliary roles to central pillars of health systems across the region.

Drawing on data from 21 countries in the UNFPA Asia-Pacific (AP) region, the report was intended to assist countries in the region to meet the challenges of the health-related SDGs and the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) agenda, a global initiative focused on accelerating the reduction of preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

The report shows hundreds of thousands of maternal and newborn deaths in 2023 across the Asia-Pacific that timely midwife interventions could have largely prevented. The region faces a shortage of approximately 200,000 midwives, contributing to an annual toll of roughly 66,000 maternal deaths alone. These stark figures expose both the human cost and the systemic failure to invest in this essential healthcare workforce.

According to the report, at least five Asia-Pacific countries, including Lao PDR, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Timor-Leste, are estimated to face needs-based midwife shortages, with Pakistan and PNG experiencing the most severe gaps.

The report projects that Pakistan and PNG will still face shortages by 2030, even if they maintain current rates of midwife graduation and full employment. Other countries, such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Viet Nam, are also likely to experience ongoing shortages; however, limited data prevents precise estimates of these shortages.

Beyond shortages, the report points to alarming gaps in education quality, regulatory frameworks, and leadership pathways for midwives. Many countries still struggle with limited pre-service training, scarce continuing education opportunities, weak licensing systems, and fragmented governance. Retention suffers as poor pay, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of professional recognition push midwives away, especially from rural and underserved areas.

The report also emphasizes how placing midwives in leadership roles can strengthen decision-making on policies that directly affect maternal and newborn health, improve supervision and mentoring, and ensure midwifery perspectives shape regulation, training, and service delivery.

Countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Malaysia show how midwife-led governance can integrate professional expertise into national health strategies, ultimately enhancing the quality, reach, and effectiveness of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health (SRMNAH) services.

Since 2021, nine countries have increased midwife availability (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Iran, Lao PDR, Maldives, Nepal, PNG, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam), four have seen decreases (Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Philippines), and two show no significant change (Mongolia and Timor-Leste). It shows that while some nations are making progress, regional gains are uneven, and shortages can worsen without sustained investment and retention strategies.

The WHO estimates that countries with fewer than 25 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10,000 people will struggle to provide adequate primary healthcare, a threshold that, while general, offers a benchmark for minimum workforce density.

Acting on this information is imperative because midwives are the most cost-effective, accessible answer to achieving safe motherhood and newborn survival goals. As the World Health Organization notes, when well-trained and integrated, midwives can address roughly 90 percent of essential reproductive and newborn health needs. Still, the world faces a global shortfall of nearly 900,000 midwives, and many in Asia endure poor working conditions, low pay, and limited career paths. Thus, saving lives demands investing in midwifery education, fair compensation, regulation, leadership, and full integration into health systems.

Midwife supervisor Arafin Mim, who oversees a team serving over 32,500 Rohingya refugees on the remote island of Bhasan Char in Bangladesh, captures the importance of her work simply.

“I feel this profession from the corner of my heart. It’s about making a connection with a pregnant woman, building a relationship during her pregnancy.”

Mim’s dedication illustrates the commitment and resilience midwives bring to some of the world’s most challenging environments.

In UNFPA’s recent opinion piece, the Regional Director Pio Smith shares a vivid image of midwives delivering in remote Bangladesh during climate crises to describe their resilience.

“When non-stop rain caused flooding in her village, the maternity ward, pharmacy, and storage room were submerged by water. She still continued to deliver babies, without electricity, even supporting emergency cesarean sections as needed with the doctors on call.”

The report urges governments and partners to close needs-based midwife shortages by expanding education in line with ICM standards, improving faculty and curricula, and ensuring equitable deployment. It recommends updating policies so midwives can work to their full scope, using data-driven workforce planning to create sanctioned posts, and adopting fair recruitment, deployment, and retention strategies.

Finally, it calls for empowering midwives with leadership roles in SRMNAH governance, regulation, and service improvement.

UNFPA’s Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, reminds us in a statement that “midwives are instrumental to navigating these challenges: They can provide up to 90 percent of essential services for sexual and reproductive health and bring their expertise and counsel to women wherever they are.”

Country examples such as Bangladesh, Nepal, and Cambodia offer hopeful signs. Bangladesh’s midwife-led birthing centers, Nepal’s rural midwifery deployments, and Cambodia’s regulatory reforms are exemplary, but much more action and investment are needed.

Midwives must be valued and supported as key professionals with quality education, fair pay, robust licensing, leadership opportunities, and a seat at health policymaking tables. This will result in fewer maternal and infant deaths, stronger newborn health, and more resilient healthcare systems.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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