PURPOSE:
To address the severe and pressing shortage of midwives in the Pacific region, improve the quality of midwifery care, and standardize inconsistent regulations and practices that currently hinder the profession.

DISCUSSION:
The Strategy was developed based on recommendations from the 2019 State of the Pacific’s RMNCAH Workforce report and the 2021 State of the World’s Midwifery Report. Its framework is informed by existing Pacific country reports, policies, and international frameworks, including the WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery (2021-2025) and the UNFPA Global Midwifery Strategy, 2019. Collaboratively drafted by midwifery leaders, educators from 11 Pacific Island Countries, and midwifery association members, the strategy’s vision statement is "Midwives make a difference: All Pacific women, families and communities have access to midwifery care that is inclusive, culturally safe, evidence-based, respectful and woman-centred enabling all Pacific families to live healthy lives". It focuses on five key areas: Regulation, Education, Professional Associations, Leadership, and Midwifery services. Its development followed a structured process: desk review, a regional consultation workshop in September 2024 to draft the strategy, a consultation and revision phase in October 2024, validation and endorsement in March 2025. The Strategy has been endorsed and approved by the Pacific Heads of Nursing and Midwifery and Pacific Heads of Health in April 2025. The next critical steps are the establishment of Regional and National Midwifery Policy Leadership Groups to oversee and support the regional and national implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policy

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
N/A

KEY MESSAGE:
This is the first ever strategy developed to address the issues faced by midwives in the region which highlights the need to recognise that midwifery is an autonomous profession in the Pacific; and clarifies the role and scope of midwives in all countries. In light of these constraints, Pacific midwifery workforce will benefit greatly from focused and dedicated investment. Poster session 4 (Group B)