UNFPA hails landmark commitment, announced at the world's largest gathering of midwives, as a model for its global push to expand midwifery
LISBON, 14 June 2026: UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, today welcomed a landmark commitment by the Government of Bangladesh to train and deploy 25,000 midwives across its public health system by 2030. This commitment comes at a critical moment as the world faces a shortage of one million midwives and rising pressure on maternal and newborn health services.
The announcement was made by Dr. S M Ziauddin Hyder, Special Assistant on Health Affairs to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, at the 34th Triennial Congress of the International Confederation of Midwives in Lisbon, alongside Diene Keita, Executive Director of UNFPA.
The commitment comes at a critical moment for women's health worldwide. Progress on maternal and newborn mortality has plateaued, and the world remains short of one million midwives. Midwives can deliver up to 90 per cent of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health services, and a well-educated and supported midwifery workforce could prevent up to two thirds of maternal and newborn deaths.
Midwifery is also the ultimate "best buy" in achieving universal health coverage, returning up to US $9 in social and economic gains for every US $1 invested.
“Bangladesh is taking what it has built to the scale its women and newborns deserve,” said Dr. S. M. Ziauddin Hyder. “But our commitment goes beyond recruitment. We are also committed to improving the quality of midwifery education, because the challenges of the future require a new generation of highly skilled and confident midwives. When a nation invests in midwives, it invests in healthier pregnancies, safer births, stronger families and more productive societies.”
Bangladesh has been building its midwifery programme since 2010, when, at the United Nations General Assembly, the government first committed to create 3,000 midwife posts. UNFPA has supported this programme since its inception, from establishing international-standard midwifery training to strengthening regulatory standards for the profession in the country. The country has undergone a dramatic reduction in maternal mortality the past two decades, from 523 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2000, to 136 in 2023, closing in on the global SDG target of 70 by 2030.
Today Bangladesh is recognized globally as a champion for midwifery and is a founding member of the Midwifery Accelerator, a global initiative created by UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and Jhipego alongside six champion countries to scale up the world’s midwifery workforce.
“Bangladesh is setting a powerful example by recognizing that investing in midwives is investing in the future of the nation,” said Ms. Keita. “A skilled midwife can save lives, strengthen communities and expand opportunities for generations to come. This landmark commitment demonstrates that preventable maternal deaths can be ended. UNFPA is proud to have partnered with Bangladesh since 1974 and remains committed to this shared journey.”
Worldwide, approximately 700 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 2.3 million newborns die in the first 28 days of life. Closing the global midwifery gap, alongside ensuring access to life-saving, quality assured medicines, is one of the most cost-effective ways to end maternal mortality. These are central priorities of UNFPA's work in more than 150 countries.
Notes to editors
The Government of Bangladesh's midwifery programme began in 2010 with the country's commitment at the United Nations General Assembly to create 3,000 midwife posts. Since then, Bangladesh has built a regulated profession of midwifery underpinned by international-standard education and an active professional association. This investment alongside other key interventions such as improved access to family planning, has contributed to a dramatic reduction in maternal deaths. Bangladesh today maintains 62 public and 110 private midwifery colleges with a combined annual intake of more than 5,000 students. UNFPA has supported the programme since its inception.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the sexual and reproductive health agency of the UN, working to uphold the rights and choices of women, girls and young people across more than 150 countries and territories. It reaches millions of women, girls and young people with essential health services, protection from violence, and with vital information about their bodies and rights. It also helps governments plan for changing population needs so people can thrive today and in the future, regardless of fertility trends.
Media contact: Eddie Wright, ewright@unfpa.org +1 917 831 2074
