International Confederation of Midwives

What International Confederation of Midwives does

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is a non-governmental, non-profit membership confederation founded in 1922 as the International Midwives' Union and renamed in 1954. Headquartered at Koninginnegracht 60 in The Hague, Netherlands (since relocating from London in 1999), ICM operates under Dutch law and is governed by a Council of member associations and an elected Board. It maintains official relations with the World Health Organization since 1957 and consultative status with UNICEF since 1960, and serves as the globally recognised voice of midwives.

ICM's core "products" are global standards, frameworks, and professional development resources for the midwifery profession: the International Definition and Scope of Practice of the Midwife, Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice (37 statements across 5 categories, updated 2024), the Professional Framework for Midwifery, Global Standards for Midwifery Education, Regulation, and Faculty Development, and the Midwifery Education Development Pathway (MPath). It also operates the Midwives' Data Hub / Global Midwives Hub (a global data platform), the Safe Delivery App (a free offline mobile app used by over 500,000 midwives), the PUSH Campaign (global advocacy for woman-centred care), the WithWomen charity for humanitarian midwifery work, and leadership programmes including the Young Midwife Leaders Programme, Midwife Leaders' Executive Sponsorship Programme, Global Chief Midwife Community of Practice, BRIDGE digital skills programme, and the Regional Advocacy Incubator.

ICM's revenue model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues from 131 member associations (across three tiers: full, associate, and affiliate) and project funding from multilateral, bilateral, and philanthropic partners including FCDO, Sida, BMGF, Direct Relief, UNFPA, FIGO, IPA, White Ribbon Alliance, IRC, Laerdal, and Maternity Foundation. Its go-to-market is event-driven (triennial Congress, regional conferences, webinars) and community-led (association strengthening, capacity building, advocacy support). The organisation reaches 131 member associations across 116 countries representing over 1 million midwives, with 35 associations participating in strengthening initiatives and 126 midwives in leadership programmes in 2025.

Name

International Confederation of Midwives

Legal name

International Confederation of Midwives

Website

https://internationalmidwives.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ICM is a 100-year-old global non-profit confederation headquartered in The Hague that develops midwifery standards, advocates for the profession, and supports 131 member associations across 116 countries representing over 1 million midwives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Midwifery Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Security, Pandemic Preparedness & Response (IHR, EID) (BPADAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disaster Response Coordination & Incident Command (EOC/ICS) (HLAJAGAB)

Keywords

• Midwifery professional standards
• Maternal health advocacy
• Global health governance
• Midwifery education frameworks
• Professional association development

Headquarters

HQ city

The Hague

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: ICM member associations pay annual membership fees, which are used to strengthen, support and advocate for midwives and midwifery globally. Three categories of membership: full, associate, and affiliate with different fee structures.
2. Project Funding from Partners and Funders: ICM works with multilateral and bilateral donor organisations, UN Agencies, NGOs and philanthropic organisations on collaborative projects that generate funding and resources for project partners and member associations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ICM is a global non-governmental confederation representing 131 midwives' associations across 116 countries. It develops and disseminates international standards and core documents for midwifery education, regulation, and practice; advocates for the profession with WHO, UNICEF and national governments; runs leadership, professional development, and humanitarian programmes; and operates the PUSH Campaign and the Safe Delivery App to advance women-centred midwifery care worldwide.

Product overview

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is a global membership organization, not a traditional software product company. ICM's offerings consist of advocacy campaigns (PUSH Campaign, WithWomen charity), professional development programmes (Young Midwife Leaders Programme, Executive Sponsorship Programme), global standards documents (Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice, Professional Framework for Midwifery, Global Standards for Midwifery Education/Regulation/Faculty Development), data platforms (Midwives' Data Hub, Global Midwives Hub), the Safe Delivery App, the Midwifery Education Development Pathway (MPath), and various advocacy tools and resources. These products work together to advance midwifery globally through standards-setting, education, advocacy, data visibility, and leadership development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PUSH Campaign: ICM's global campaign for woman-centred care, with midwives as the way to get there. Works with midwives and partners so women and gender diverse people can access quality care, and midwives are valued, supported and heard.
• WithWomen
• Midwives' Data Hub

Products and services

• Global Standards for Midwifery Education ICM's global standards promoting high-quality midwifery education programmes that prepare midwives meeting the ICM definition of a midwife; used by national associations and regulators worldwide.
• Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice (2024) The ICM Essential Competencies framework outlining the minimum set of knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours required to use the designation of midwife.
• International Definition and Scope of Practice of the Midwife The internationally recognised definition and scope of practice of a midwife, adopted at Brisbane in 2005 and most recently revised in 2024, used worldwide as the basis of the profession.
• Professional Framework for Midwifery A comprehensive framework covering all elements required for midwifery to be considered a profession — including midwifery philosophy, education, regulation, association, research, leadership, enabling environment, and commitments to gender equality and JEDI.
• Global Standards for Midwife Faculty Development ICM standards specifying minimum requirements for quality midwife faculty development to produce competent midwives for the future midwifery workforce.
• Global Standards for Midwifery Regulation ICM standards and companion guide for midwifery regulation, including a self-assessment tool that national regulators use to review alignment with international benchmarks and identify gaps.
• Midwifery Education Development Pathway (MPath) A set of resources providing midwife educators with practical tools and suggested strategies to strengthen pre-service midwifery education programmes.
• Young Midwife Leaders (YML) Programme A part-time, two-year learning and professional development experience for early-career midwives designed to empower them to become politically conscious and involved in strengthening the midwifery profession.
• Global Competencies for Midwife Leaders ICM competencies recognising midwives as autonomous, highly skilled health professionals whose leadership is essential to advancing sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health.
• Midwife Leaders' Executive Sponsorship Programme Programme pairing executive sponsors with existing or emerging midwife leaders to provide guidance, growth opportunities, and reciprocal learning experiences.
• Global Chief Midwife Community of Practice A community connecting senior midwifery leaders to strengthen leadership, shape policy, and increase the visibility and influence of national Chief Midwives worldwide.
• ICM Triennial Congress and Regional Conferences The flagship global professional development and networking events, including the 34th ICM Triennial Congress in Lisbon (2026) and the upcoming 35th Congress in Abu Dhabi (2029), with regional conferences in between.
• Collaborate for Women (C4W) Initiative Promotes competency-based, collaborative approaches to family planning and comprehensive abortion care by enabling midwives and obstetrician-gynecologists to work together.
• BRIDGE Programme (Building Resilience in Digital Growth and Engagement) Equips midwives' associations with digital skills and tools to strengthen advocacy, storytelling, and long-term sustainability.
• Regional Professional Committees Voluntary advisory bodies bringing together midwife educators, regulators, researchers, practising midwives and emerging leaders to provide technical advice and strengthen regional networks.
• Regional Advocacy Incubator A joint ICM and PUSH project that strengthens midwives' associations to lead advocacy, build cross-sector partnerships, and drive coordinated action to influence policy and improve SRMNAH outcomes.
• Midwives' Data Hub (Global Midwives Hub) A global platform that brings together midwifery data and health outcomes in one place, built to inform action, drive investment, and make the contributions of midwives visible.
• Safe Delivery App A free, offline mobile application used by more than half a million midwives worldwide, providing practical, evidence-based clinical and humanitarian guidance, including a Climate-Wise Care module for midwives in climate-affected settings. Delivered in partnership with Maternity Foundation and Laerdal.
• PUSH Campaign ICM's global advocacy campaign for woman-centred care with midwives; works with midwives and partners so women and gender-diverse people can access quality care.
• WithWomen ICM's charitable foundation that elevates the work of midwives, improves birth experiences, and supports midwives' projects in humanitarian and climate-affected settings.
• ICM Midwifery Terminology Reference Guide Reference guide supporting standardised Spanish and French translations to ensure consistency and clarity across ICM publications and global communications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98 countries where national policies recognise midwives as a distinct occupation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• International Rescue Committee (IRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026Five-year strategic partnership announced January 2026 to strengthen the capacity, support, promotion, and advocacy for midwives working to their full scope of practice in humanitarian and fragile settings globally.
• LaerdalcoreTechnology or IntegrationLaerdal partners on the Safe Delivery App and other training tools that provide practical, evidence-based guidance to support midwives in delivering quality care.
• UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNFPA works with ICM on the Midwifery Accelerator, SMS project, and joint statements/resources. ICM has had official relations with UNFPA through various initiatives since 1957.
• FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICM and FIGO collaborate on joint statements and resources related to sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health.
• IPA (International Pediatric Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICM and IPA partner on joint statements and resources for maternal and child health initiatives.
• White Ribbon AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhite Ribbon Alliance collaborates with ICM on joint advocacy campaigns and resources for women's health and rights.
• Maternity FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaternity Foundation partners with ICM on the Safe Delivery App and other initiatives to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO): Global professional confederation of obstetrician-gynecologists, a direct counterpart to ICM in the women's health professional space. FIGO and ICM are already active partners on joint statements and resources, sharing the same international, NGO-driven, member-association model.
• International Council of Nurses (ICN): Global federation of national nursing associations headquartered in Geneva. ICN mirrors ICM's structure as an international confederation of professional associations, sets global standards, and operates on membership dues plus donor funding.
• International Pediatric Association (IPA): Global professional association for pediatricians. IPA is an established ICM partner with an analogous international membership-association model focused on child health, making it a structurally and operationally close peer.
• White Ribbon Alliance: Global advocacy coalition for respectful, quality maternal and reproductive healthcare. White Ribbon Alliance is an ICM partner that overlaps directly in mission, advocacy channels, and donor funding pool.

Broad incumbents

• World Health Organization (WHO): The UN specialized agency for global health with which ICM has held official relations since 1957. WHO is the broadest incumbent shaping the policy environment in which ICM operates, setting norms that ICM's professional standards often complement or extend.
• UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund): UN agency leading global work on sexual and reproductive health and rights. UNFPA is both a funder and operational partner of ICM via the Midwifery Accelerator; its broader mandate and budget make it a powerful incumbent shaping the same policy space.
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG): UK-based professional body for obstetrics and gynecology with international reach. RCOG is an incumbent in the same women's-health professional standards space, with broader scope and resources than ICM but a similar standards-driven model.

Regional players

• American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM): U.S. national professional association for midwives and a current ICM member association. ACNM is a leading regional peer with similar standards-setting, advocacy, and professional development functions within a defined geography.

Emerging players

• Maternity Foundation: Denmark-based NGO that co-developed the Safe Delivery App with ICM and partners on capacity building for maternal health. Maternity Foundation is an emerging, mission-aligned peer with overlapping digital and field programs.
• Jhpiego: Global health nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins focused on maternal and newborn health in low-resource settings. Jhpiego overlaps with ICM in workforce strengthening, training, and donor-funded delivery in similar geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/world_midwives
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WorldMidwives
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalConfederationofMidwives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-confederation-of-midwives-icm-
• Instagraminstagram.com/world_midwives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Confederation of Midwives