The European Nursing & Midwifery Week (#ENMW2026) was developed by EFNNMA, a collaborative organization of WHO Regional Office for Europe, to celebrate and recognize nurses and midwives in Europe.
Message of Mervi Jokinen – EFNNMA President for International Day of Midwife
Message from Mervi Jokinen, EFNNMA President – International Day of the Midwife
On this International Day of the Midwife, I wish to honour the extraordinary dedication of midwives across the globe who work tirelessly to ensure safe, respectful, and compassionate care for women and newborns.
Yet we cannot celebrate without acknowledging the reality we face: the world is experiencing a critical shortage of midwives. Millions of women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, still lack access to qualified midwifery care — with devastating consequences for maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
The One Million More Midwives campaign reminds us of the scale of action needed. Educating, recruiting, and retaining one million additional midwives could avert the majority of preventable maternal and newborn deaths worldwide.
This will not happen without deliberate, sustained investment. Governments and policymakers must commit to funding midwifery education, ensuring decent working conditions, and integrating midwives fully into health systems. Investing in midwives is not a cost — it is one of the most effective investments in public health.
Today, let us move beyond words to action. Every woman deserves a midwife, and every midwife deserves the support to deliver care with dignity.
Happy International Day of the Midwife.
Mervi Jokinen
President, EFNNMA
Message of Mervi Jokinen – EFNNMA President for European Nurses and Midwifery Week
Message from Mervi Jokinen, EFNNMA President – International Nursing and Midwifery Week 2026
This year’s International Day theme, chosen by ICN and IDM could not be more timely or urgent. Across all 53 countries of the WHO European Region, nurses and midwives are sustaining care, protecting communities, and holding health systems together — often under immense strain, and too often without the recognition or support they deserve.
The message is clear: to maximise the full life-saving impact of our nursing and midwifery workforce, we must empower them. This means safe and fair work environments, full scope of practice, meaningful influence in health policy, and leadership at every level of decision-making.
We face unprecedented challenges — workforce shortages, rising health care demands, and the increasing effects of conflict and climate change. The One Million More campaign reminds us of the scale of action required: one million more nurses and midwives are needed globally to close the gap in care and prevent millions of preventable deaths. In Europe, no country is exempt from this crisis.
Empowerment without investment is an empty promise. I call upon governments and health leaders across the entire WHO European Region to commit to sustained investment in nursing and midwifery education, recruitment, retention, and working conditions.
When nurses and midwives are empowered, lives are saved. It is that simple — and that urgent.
Happy European Nursing and Midwifery Week!!
Webinar of the ENMW2026 – Registration Link
The European Nursing and Midwifery Week (5-12 May 2026) aims to:
- Advocate for nursing and midwifery and a more inclusive society across Europe
- Raise awareness and reinforce existing messages about the Nursing & Midwifery workforce and its role in health and social care, aligned with key organizations at European WHO Region level.
- To build trust and innovative ways of working together between all professionals contributing to nursing and midwifery at local, national, regional, and European levels.
There are some main activities for this year:
- The 4th European Nursing & Midwifery Week, led by EFNNMA in collaboration with various groups and organizations, celebrates nurses and midwives from May 5-12, 2025 This year’s theme focuses on creating a map of nursing and midwifery initiatives across Europe to promote collaboration and showcase case studies & best practices in patients and health professionals’ wellbeing.
- Complete the form about your event: https://forms.gle/d1WsuMhzYpDmeV4k6
- Send the leaflet or file of your event (5 – 12 May – and the closing days) to efnnma@gmail.com
- Use for your national and local initiative the format and logo attached and online at www.efnnma.org
