In a joint statement released June 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIG)) and the International Pediatric Association (IPA) present the 2018 definition of skilled health personnel providing care during childbirth.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights the importance of continued attention to maternal and newborn health (MNH). A Task Force has refined the definition of the widely used term “skilled birth attendant”, in order to provide a revised definition of a “skilled health personnel” providing care during childbirth. Under Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3), this polished definition will support more robust measurement and metadata for the SDGs indicator 3.1.2.
The statement explores several categories of MNH and describes the competences one must hold to be considered skilled health personnel.
To read more about these competences, visit the WHO website to find the Joint Statement, Background document and Mapping of competences.
