Because every woman deserves care that starts with her.

Across the Arab States, too many women still struggle to access care that truly centers on their needs, choices, and dignity. 

Raising awareness and demand for women-centered care—care that listens, respects, and responds to each woman—is essential to building healthier, more empowered communities.

This vision lies at the heart of UNFPA’s “Start with Her” Strategy which places women’s agency, choice, and dignity at the center of every health system and every development effort.

Pushing for Midwives: The Heart of Women-Centered Care

To make that vision a reality, we must also recognize and elevate those whose philosophy of care puts women at the center—midwives.

Through a new regional partnership between the UNFPA Arab States Regional Office (ASRO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the PUSH Campaign is shining a light on the potential of midwives in the Arab region and the vital role they play in women’s health and wellbeing.

Midwives are not only skilled health professionals—they are trusted companions, advocates, and champions for women’s dignity through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. By celebrating their stories and highlighting their impact, the campaign aims to build public appreciation and demand for respectful, woman-led care and help families see midwives as essential partners in safe, supportive, and compassionate health services.

Why This Matters

In a region rich in diversity but marked by persistent inequalities, midwives can bridge critical gaps in access and trust.  Global evidence also shows that midwives trained to international standards have the potential to deliver 90% of all sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health care. 

Globally, the world is short one million midwives. Across the Arab Region, there is a shortage of 178,000 midwives, and often their roles are not adequately recognized nor are they effectively integrated into the health system. 

These trends highlight there is a need to refocus on models of care that prioritize women—care grounded in trust, respect, and choice. When midwives are empowered and valued, more women seek care, more newborns thrive, and more families flourish.

The campaign is fully aligned with the Midwifery Accelerator – a unified, evidence-driven global initiative aimed at significantly improving maternal and newborn health outcomes by scaling up midwifery models of care globally. 

Through regional engagement, and public dialogue, we aim to inspire a shift—one where women-centered care in the Arab region is not the exception, but the expectation. 

Join the PUSH

This is more than a campaign—it’s a movement for recognition, respect, and change. Together, UNFPA ASRO and the PUSH Campaign are pushing for midwives, pushing for women, and pushing for a future that truly starts with her for women and girls across the Arab States. Take the first step to join this global community is to sign the pledge: Push pledge