Self-regulated midwifery, network, partnerships key for Indigenous midwifery: NACM

In a recent article for The Star, the co-chairs of the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives’ (NACM) have called for First Nations people to embrace self-regulated midwifery, rather than waiting for funding or for regulations to change. “There’s different kinds of relationships that can be built, partnerships that can be made with … universities, with regulatory bodies. There are different ways to work within the current legislation,” said co-chair Claire Dion Fletcher. Fletcher noted that only six Canadian universities offer a four-year midwifery degree program, which means that most Indigenous students would need to leave their communities to pursue education. “The universities are working very hard to ensure they meet the needs of Indigenous students, but they’re working in a system that isn’t set up for Indigenous students or (keeping) Indigenous knowledge in mind,” said Fletcher. The Star Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.