Project profile — Strengthening the Midwifery Profession and Practice in Haïti

• Haiti (100.00%)

• Reproductive health care:
Reproductive health care (13020) (15.00%)
Family planning (13030) (15.00%)
Personnel development for population and reproductive health (13081) (70.00%)

• Desertification (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)

The project seeks to help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Haiti by improving the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls in four of the country’s underserved departments (Grande Anse, Sud-Est, Nippes and Nord-Ouest). In addition to addressing gender inequality, the project is helping to build women’s and girls’ capacity to make more informed choices when exercising their sexual and reproductive rights. Project activities include: (1) training midwives at the Institut national supérieur de formation des sages-femmes (INSFSF) - the national midwifery training institute - and in two new satellite/practice schools; (2) deploying these newly trained midwives to improve the range and quality of services, as well as to spur demand for these services through a community approach; (3) strengthening the legal framework of the midwifery profession, particularly by regulating the profession in accordance with international standards. The project is expected to directly benefit 205,014 women and girls, 170,266 of which are women of childbearing age and 34,749 of whom are girls aged between 10 and 14 .

The expected results of this project include: (1) increased availability of well-trained midwives able to provide culturally sensitive and SRHR-supported services for women and girls, mainly from underserved areas; (2) increased deployment of midwives in health institutions at the national level and especially in underserved areas, capable of providing sexual and reproductive health services, emergency obstetric care and essential newborn care with respect for women's rights and the environment; and (3) strengthened regulation of the midwifery profession to take into account the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls.

Results achieved as of December 2022 include: (1) achieved a national coverage of 16.4% of the intended 20.5% target, to meet the need for qualified midwives in Haiti, particularly in the project’s underserved target areas; (2) operationalized 2 educational facilities and 16 training sites for midwives; (3) trained 454 student midwives at INSFSF, the national midwifery institute, since the project began, out of a targeted 610 midwives; (4) there were 136 newly graduated midwives in the public and private sectors, surpassing the projected target with 79.5% instead of 60%; (5) 25 midwives were trained as midwife trainers and were certified using the skills-based approach and micro-teaching techniques, with support from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières; (6) 76,499 pregnant women used sexual and reproductive health services that are hygienic and respect their rights; (7) 107,751 women and girls in underserved communities have been made aware of sexual and reproductive health rights, or 80% of the target; and (8) 82% of midwives in 2022 had joined the Association des infirmières sages-femmes d’Haïti [Haitian nurse-midwives association] out of a target of 50%.

• Proactive disclosure