III International Midwives Congress: 'midwife, woman, family, and community. an alliance for life.'/III Congreso Internacional de Matronas: 'matrona, mujer, familia comunidad: una alianza or la vida'.

• Auteur: Cillo, Alicia Beatriz
• Tenlastelegging: Conference news

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ICM Board member for the Americas, Alicia Beatriz Cillo, writes about an important event that took place last year in Chile.

The III International Midwives Congress was held 19-21 November 2008, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile, Santiago. The Congress was organised by the Chilean Midwives Association.

The event was attended by a significant number of midwives from all over the country, as well as by: ICM President, Bridget Lynch and Alicia Cillo, ICM's Interim Board Member for the Americas and President of the Colegio de Obstdtricas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina (see details in Spanish for other delegates). Important topics were discussed, such as: The model of midwifery personalised care with a focus on family health; Ethical aspects of women's health care; Obstetric care focused on rights and quality.

Within the framework of this international congress, the authorities representing participating countries held meetings to finalise the establishment of the Federacion Latinoamericana de Obstetricas Universitarias--FLOU (Latin American Federation of University Obstetricians), an idea that has been developing since FLOU's first meeting in Argentina, in August 2007. It was decided that FLOU would be registered in Argentina under the terms set by the Direccirn de Personas Juridicas (Directorship of Legal Entities). Once the Federation is legally established, FLOU will submit a membership application to ICM. FLOU's objectives are, among others:

* To strengthen university training in Latin America in the ICM midwifery model of care

* To provide advice and consultancy in topics related to the profession of midwifery

* To promote scientific research in midwifery and scientific exchange between midwifery schools

* To highlight public policies, national and international, that impact on women's sexual and reproductive health

* To support countries that have adopted change initiatives in the model of care based on the sexual and reproductive health rights of women.

Durante los dias 19 al 21 de noviembre de 2008, se llevo a cabo en el Aula Magna "Dr. Miguel Gacic", de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Chile, el Ill Congreso Internacional de Matronas, organizado por el Colegio de Matronas de Chile, con la participacion de un importante numero de matronas de todo el pais.

Se conto con la participacion de Bridget Lynch, Presidente de ICM; Alicia Cillo, Representante Regional Interina para...