Bangladesh, Sweden, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have joined forces to ensure mothers and newborns receive expert healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth.
The three partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to expanding access to quality maternal services and integrating professional midwives into primary healthcare systems.
The pledge was made on Thursday at a high-level event titled “From Commitment to Action: Integrating Midwifery into Primary Health Care to End Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths”, held on the margins of the 81st Session of United Nations General Assembly.
Creating 25,000 midwifery posts
A key focus of the gathering was Bangladesh’s commitment to create 25,000 new midwifery posts across its primary healthcare network to reinforce its health workforce and save lives.
The high-level discussions brought together prominent figures, including Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman, a cardiologist and vice president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation.
They were joined by Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, as well as senior delegates from United Nations agencies, civil society organisations, and development partners.
Participants exchanged practical lessons regarding midwifery education, deployment, governance, and financing, whilst examining opportunities for sustained investment in healthcare workers.
Leadership commitments
Speaking at the session, Tarique stressed that every woman deserves access to a qualified professional midwife close to her home.
He explained that Bangladesh is deploying midwives nationwide, strengthening community healthcare and referral networks, and connecting citizens through a modern digital health system to translate promises into action.
Sweden also renewed its commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights whilst strengthening health systems.
Stenergard emphasised that investing in midwives represents an investment in dignity, equality, and safer births that helps more mothers and babies survive and thrive.
Global progress to 2030
UNFPA warmly welcomed Bangladesh’s decision to establish and deploy 25,000 professional midwives. Bangladesh serves as a lead champion for the UNFPA Midwifery Accelerator initiative, which works to build political commitment and financial backing for maternal care.
To date, over 50 countries have joined the programme and developed Maternal and Newborn Health Acceleration Plans, with dozens coordinating priority actions through 2030.
Commending the initiative, UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita noted that midwives provide vital care when women need it most. She added that amid a critical global shortage of health workers, Bangladesh’s investment equips frontline heroes to build a safer, healthier world for mothers and children.
