Eight countries from a total of four continents have jointly applied for registration of the item "Midwifery: Knowledge, Skills and Practices" to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The nomination was prepared by Midwives' Associations from Colombia, Cyprus, Germany, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Slovakia and Togo, in collaboration with ministries and experts in intangible cultural heritage and public health. A decision by the relevant UNESCO Commission is expected in December 2023, and other countries will be eligible to join after registration.
Midwifery as a cultural practice
Midwifery involves knowledge and skills that promote the well-being of women, newborns, children and families. Midwives ensure continuity of care and support throughout the natural process of pregnancy and childcare, before and after birth. They use evidence-based knowledge, personal intuition and empirical traditional knowledge. Midwifery safeguards fundamental human rights, particularly those of women. It can be practiced by people of any gender, however the majority of people practicing midwifery were and are women.
In addition to knowledge of medicine and anatomy, midwives rely on the senses of touch and smell, use observation and demonstrate empathy. Their skills and knowledge have been preserved, enriched and passed down through communities from generation to generation. Today, transmission takes place in formal, non-formal and informal learning environments. In addition, midwifery is associated with the use of specific cultural practices, vocabulary, celebrations and rituals, such as umbilical cord cutting
A nomination based on community-based initiatives
Midwives are the main agents of practice, usually organized in groups or associations. They also took the initiative for registration. Other networks such as academic institutions or organisations dealing with childbirth, breastfeeding, women's rights and family planning promote the transfer of knowledge and skills related to midwifery. The preparation of the application on the part of Cyprus was coordinated by the Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO, in cooperation with the Committee of Midwives and Midwives of the Pancyprian Association of Nursing and Midwifery and other bodies associated with midwifery.
Context
Intangible Cultural Heritage includes traditions from the fields of dance, theatre, music, spoken word, knowledge of nature and crafts. As of 2013, 180 countries have acceded to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and have established national inventories. Items from the national inventories can be nominated for inclusion on one of UNESCO's three international inventories. They may also submit multinational nominations to promote international cooperation and the presentation of elements of the common cultural heritage of humanity.
Each year an intergovernmental committee decides on the inscription of new cultural elements on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists on the recommendation of an evaluation body. To date, Cyprus has inscribed five items on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage: the Lefkari embroidery (2009), the ciattis (2011), the Mediterranean Diet (2013), the dry stone art (2018) and the Byzantine chant (2019).
For more information, interested parties can visit the links: Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage https:/ich.unesco.org/en/lists and "Midwifery practice and science" on the Cyprus National List CYPRUS NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR UNESCO - Midwifery practice and science or contact the Officer of the Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO Ms. Thekla Papantoniou at 22809810 or at the email address tpapantoniou@culture.moec.gov.cy.
(NΓ/EXP)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
