ICM makes clear to WHA the need to 'strengthen nursing and midwifery': Petra ten Hoope-Bender, ICM Secretary General, gives details of the ICM/ICN presentation given at the World Health Assembly, Geneva, May 2003.

• Tenlastelegging: World Health Assembly

In the last issue of Internat-ional Midwifery, I summed up the major topics of relevance to midwives discussed at the 56th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, in May 2003.

However, the final and most important item on the WHA agenda was the report back on resolution WHA 54.12 'Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery' and I believe this is of such importance to midwives worldwide that it merits more detailed coverage in the ICM journal. Two years ago I spoke to the WHA on behalf of ICM, stressing that:

'The recruitment, education, deployment and retention of midwives and nurses requires constant attention and consistent work. Supportive legislation and regulation and continuing education need to be in place. And especially the shortage of midwives and nurses needs to be addressed. An enormous effort is needed to attract young people to these professions and to provide them with enough interesting activities to build a career. However, the work is only just beginning. "Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery"', as an activity--not only a resolution--needs a conceded and sustained effort from all parties involved.' (see International Midwifery 2001; 14(4): 9) I also made the point at that time that 'there are no easy answers' and this has indeed turned out to be true. As midwives know, concentrated local action on recruitment has sometimes resulted in midwifery being weakened elsewhere as midwives, for professional or financial reasons, move from one region to another for advancement in their career. The ICM position statement 'Ethical recruitment of midwives' sets out the background to dais situation and calls for development and implementation in each country of ethical guidelines and codes of conduct for international recruitment.

At this year's WHA, Dr Chris Murray introduced the item by stating that dais is a report back on some of the issues that could be completed in the two years that have elapsed since WHA 54. The secretariat has developed a strategy to address the issues ('Strategic Directions and Plan of Action for Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery') and is now working on the indicators that will be used to monitor progress. A follow-up report will he provided to the Assembly in 2006 and a more comprehensive one in 2008.

Some 41 countries presented 'interventions' on this report. A synopsis of these gives the following picture:

* most were happy with the report and the idea of a follow-up report in 2006 and a comprehensive report in...