Midwifery in the Americas: yesterday, today, tomorrow: parterias en las Americas: ayer, hoy, manana: ICM Regional representatives Bridget Lynch and Alicia Cillo show how the events planned for the conference are based on the needs of midwives in a diverse area.

• Tenlastelegging: International Confederation of Midwives

The Americas Region of the ICM is organising its regional conference from April 23-24, 2004 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The Americas Region is a very large area comprising all 44 countries and additional territories in South, Central and North America and the Caribbean. Within the entire region, there are currently 10 ICM member associations in nine countries, making the Americas Region the most under-represented by the profession of midwifery among all ICM regions. This conference is the first of its kind to focus on the role of midwifery in the Americas. The conference is being hosted by the Trinidad & Tobago Midwives Association and the conference planning committee includes the Americas Regional Representatives, Alicia Cillo of Argentina and Bridget Lynch of Canada, Debrah Lewis President of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Midwives (TTAM), and the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Midwives.

Events at the conference

We have been working closely with Nester Moyo and Kathy Herschderfer at ICM Headquarters in planning the ICM's sponsored pre- and post-conference one-day workshops, in collaboration with international partners. The mid-triennium meetings of the ICM Board of Management and Executive Committee will also take place prior to the conference.

The pre-conference workshop will focus on gender-based violence, with speakers from all areas of the region and 30 invited midwives.

The post-conference workshop will address the issue of active management of the 3rd stage of labour in order to prevent postpartum haemorrhage. This workshop is part of the joint ICM and FIGO initiative to reduce deaths from one of the major causes of maternal mortality around the world and will be facilitated by representatives from the Maternal Newborn Health programme at JHPIEGO. The initiative will be launched by ICM President, Caroline Weaver, and Dr Andre Lalonde, member of the FIGO Steering Committee on Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health.

The following ICM initiatives will be officially launched during the conference:

* ICM and FIGO Joint Initiative: Postpartum Haemorrhage and Active Management of the 3rd Stage of Labour

* The Young Midwifery Leaders Projects

* The ICM/ICN (International Council of Nursing) Birth Registration Campaign

* The WHO/ICN/FIGO joint statement on the Critical Role of the Skilled Attendant

The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago will open the conference. The opening ceremony will include the presentation of the...