This year, May 5th is being observed as the International Day of the Midwife under the theme “Midwives: A Vital Climate-Resilient Workforce.”

At the same time, a number of midwives in the capital have called for expanded training opportunities and broader access to employment.

Khadija Shirzad, head midwife, said: “Our demand is that educational opportunities be provided for girls so more midwives can be trained, and additional health centers can be established across all provinces—especially in remote areas—to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates.”

Khaleda Sadat, a midwife, said: “Unfortunately, in villages, mothers don’t visit clinics or doctors for months and remain untreated. A major problem in Afghanistan is the lack of access to education. Unfortunately, we have very few midwives in the country who have studied up to the master's or doctoral level.”

On this day, the European Union emphasized that access to education—particularly medical training for all women—leads to a stronger healthcare workforce.

In a statement, the EU in Afghanistan said: “Empowering them saves lives, reduces maternal/infant mortality & strengthens health systems in Afghanistan. Access to education for all women, esp. medical training, builds a stronger health workforce for all.”

Dr. Yasamin Yazdani said: “The presence of midwives alongside doctors and gynecology specialists is absolutely necessary.”

However, last year, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced that Afghanistan currently needs over 18,000 midwives. Additionally, the Deputy Minister for Policy and Development at the Ministry of Public Health had previously stated that more than 30,000 trained midwives in the country are awaiting job opportunities.