Midwives from Sheffield will be running a stall in Barkers Pool on Tuesday the 5^{th May in order to raise awareness of the fact that every minute somewhere in the world a woman dies because of complications in pregnancy and childbirth. Many of these deaths happen simply because women in many countries lack access to skilled birth attendants such as midwives, or basic medical care.}

The event marks the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) on 5th May 2009, when midwives around the world will take action to highlight the knowledge and skills of midwives, and the contribution they make to the health of their nations. In the UK midwives will be highlighting the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG5), which aims to improve maternal health.

The goal, supported by the UK Government, is to reduce by 75% the number of women who die during pregnancy or childbirth, by 2015. There are two targets within MDG5: one to reduce maternal deaths and the other to provide universal access to reproductive health.

MDG 5 has made the least progress of all the goals since its inception in 2000, but the global voice calling for change is getting stronger. Maternal Health was on the G8 agenda for the first time ever in 2008 with many governments pledging funding for this issue. The challenge now is to make sure these pledges are fulfilled. International Day of the Midwife actions will highlight the need for midwives and celebrate their important role in improving maternal health.

IDM is organised by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and is supported in the UK by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the White Ribbon Alliance (WRA). The White Ribbon Alliance is currently running the Million Mums campaign, which is calling for a million Mums, Dads, Sons and Daughters to join www.millionmums.org to say NO to the needless death if one woman every minute in pregnancy and childbirth. The midwives will be aiming to raise money for this campaign.

Midwives from the Sheffield branches of the Royal College of Midwives and the Association of Radical Midwives will be in Sheffield City Centre, at Barkers Pool (outside John Lewis) on Tuesday 5th May from 11am to 3pm with information on the issues, and collection boxes, and hope that if you are in town on that day you will drop by to give your support.