Establishment of Regional Confederation of Midwives CONAMA- Confederation of African Midwives Associations Elgonda Bekker- Representative - SOMSA in steering committee

History Ghana in 2007 Uganda in 2010 African Midwives Associations- Uganda ICM Africa conference agreed to constitute a Regional Body for midwives Each country represented at the conference- representative to the task force Task Force - establishment of Regional Body formed May 2010 in Kampala at the 2 nd Regional ICM Conference for African Midwives Presentation done at 29 th triennial congress in chaotic meeting

Further steps Constitution finalization meeting – Birchwood: 12 th to 16 th June, 2012 Goal - to establish a continental professional midwifery confederation to: To advocate for and strengthen autonomous member associations to advance the profession of midwifery in Africa by promoting quality Education, Regulation and midwifery practice in order to enhance the reproductive health of women, and the health of their newborn and their families.

OBJECTIVES OF WORKSHOP: Review submitted comments on the draft CONAMA constitution Update and upgrade the draft constitution for finalization Agree on next steps for establishing CONAMA Plan for 3 RD ICM AFRICAN MIDWIVES CONGRESS 2013 to be held in KENYA

EXPECTATIONS The expectations from the participants were mainly to finalize the constitution To finalize the concept of the logo Plan for the ICM Africa conference scheduled for Kenya in 2013 To consider the Feedback from the 3 Francophone countries

MEMBERS PRESENT Association of Malawian Midwives -Keith Lipato Ghana Registered Midwives Association- Joyce Jetuah Kenya Midwives Association -Dr. Grace M. Omoni Mali Midwives Association -Dicko Fatoumata Maiga Midwives Association of Zambia Association -David Mbewe Professional Association of Nigeria Midwives -Rose Samuel Agbi Society of Midwives of South Africa-Elgonda Bekker South Sudan Society of Midwives -Petronella Wawa Sudan Midwives Association -Siama Abdalla Ladu Uganda Private Midwives Organization -Mary Gorret Musoke

TECHNICAL ADVISORY TEAM Abigail Kyei -International Midwife Advisor - ICM Dr Jemima Dennis-Antwi- Regional Advisor for Anglophone Africa – ICM Rachel Ibinga Koula -Regional Advisor for Francophone Africa – ICM Ramatu Daroda - Ipas- Snr. Health Systems Advisor Joseph Aboagye Debrah -Legal Advisor. 1 st Law Ghana Ltd

KEY ISSUES ARRIVED AT The team agreed name CONAMA maintained Anglophone African countries with a view of collaborating with other existing regional bodies. Task Force on the establishment of CONAMA should serve as Board members in an interim capacity for a period of 3 years until elections can be conducted.

CONAMA HEAD QUARTER ELEGIBILITY Association should have at least 500 members Record of holding regular meetings Good financial status, with a paid up membership to CONAMA Dynamic leadership Country- politically stable Permission from government Association in existence at least 2years

MEETINGS CONAMA congress - every 18 months before ICM triennial congress Another meeting of CONAMA at the ICM Congress Purpose- to progress matters of importance for ICM council meetings

Way forward Typing and consolidation of comments Share the constitution with local Associations Sending the document to the Legal Advisor Circulate to two Francophone task force members Share the report with ICM, UNFPA and Ipas Proposal for funding Finalization of the logo

Content of proposed constitution Vision Confederation of African Midwives Associations (CONAMA) envisions an African continent where competent midwives are available in all settings to provide quality midwifery care to and in partnership with women, their families and the community.

MISSION To improve reproductive, newborn and child health in Africa by advocating for and strengthening autonomous midwifery member associations to promote quality education, regulation and midwifery practice.

AIM To enhance advocacy in Midwifery and for Midwifery care in partnership with women, families and the community.

OBJECTIVES To promote and strengthen autonomous evidence based midwifery practice in partnership with women. To advance quality basic and higher midwifery education. To promote strong midwifery regulation. To promote strong independent midwifery professional associations regional and international collaboration and partnerships To safeguard the professional interest of the midwife in relation to work environment and professional practice by strengthening leadership. To promote and strengthen scholarship development of the Midwifery profession in Africa To work towards improving women and newborn health in members states. To promote strong leadership in midwifery through strengthening the function of midwifery associations To have the Secretariat serve as an income-generating entity The by-laws, as a continuous developmental structure

ARTICLES Article 1: Name and registered office Article 2: Eligibility Article 3:Categories and qualification of membership Article 4:Applications for membership Article 5:Suspensions of rights Article 6:Termination of membership

ARTICLES CONT. Article 7: Governance Article 8:Composition of the council Article 9:Meetings of council Article 10:Council meeting Article 11: Voting in council meetings Article 12: Board members Article 13: Terms of office -terminating membership of the board /suspension Article 14: Tasks, responsibilities and representation of the board

ARTICLES CONT. Article 15: Meetings of the board members Article 16: Notices Article 17: Quorum of the board Article 18: Finance Article 19: Secretariat/secretary-general Article 20: Amendment of the constitution Article 21: Dissolution of CONAMA Article 22: By-laws

Suggested logo’s

In preparation of the birth of CONAMA Invitation of countries Conducting meetings with country associations for briefing Set up a planning Committee Establishment of a website to facilitate information dissemination. Design a letter head for the Task Force of CONAMA Open a separate Bank account for the 3 rd ICM Africa Conference 2013 Actively involve the ICM country Representatives Circulate the constitution to the ICM country Representatives

ACTUAL CONAMA 2013 CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES Establish the hosting of CONAMA series Prepare proper invitations indicating clearly who has to attend the meeting in advance Host interim Council meeting before a larger meeting to approve continuation Conduct one on one meeting with countries that have multiple associations Make people aware that they can start preparing for election of council in positions

CONFERENCE PROPOSAL Registration: -International delegates - $500 Local delegates - $300 Venue: Nairobi, Kenya- probably Safari Centre Proposed date: Week of July 2013 Hosted by :Kenyan Midwives Association

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ipas for funding the meeting and provision of technical support ICM for funding, technical support, administrative support and coordination of activities on CONAMA related issues Adopting this as an ICM event Task force members

Questions?

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