Tena koutou katoa,

Debbie and I were honoured to represent Aotearoa as the New Zealand College of Midwives  delegates to the ICM 2026 Board meeting. Following this, we were attendees of the ICM Conference 2026, held in Lisbon Portugal.

As many are aware, during the ICM meeting the Position Statement – Partnership between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Midwives was voted in favour of suspending pending further review. To provide some context to this vote, within the ICM organisation each delegate gets to vote on any agenda items that are put forward for voting. There are over 100 association delegates that are eligible to vote. Their process of consultation, discussion and providing context to each item for voting is complex and dynamic. With this in mind, Debbie and I do not believe all delegates get the opportunity to be fully informed of what they are voting on. However, this aside the vote to suspend the Position Statement was resounding.

For transparency, Debbie and I voted AGAINST suspending the statement. And, although we tried to make comment to our position due to their tight timeframe and process within the Board meeting we were not afforded the opportunity to speak. The Canadian delegates (whom also voted against the statement being suspended) did get the chance to speak, as a first approach to showing our position on this decision we sent an email to the CEO and the then President of ICM supporting Canada’s statements made within the Board meeting. Along with this statement of support, we have requested they reinstate the Position Statement while working with Indigenous midwives to update the statement.

We intimately understand the distress this decision has caused our profession here in Aotearoa, first and foremost to our Indigenous midwives.  As your delegates, we are so grateful for your support and engagement in this kaupapa. We want to reassure you that we are committed to progressing this with Indigenous midwifery priorities at the forefront.

Nā, Beatrice Leatham and Debbie Fisher – Co-presidents of New Zealand College of Midwives.