ICM
ICM is an accredited non-governmental organization registered in the Netherlands
Every two minutes, a mother dies in the world. “These visa denials silence precisely those we need to hear from most,” says an advisor to the International Confederation of Midwives.
Portugal refused visas to at leasts 20 midwives from Africa and Asia who came to participate in an international conference in Lisbon, which seeks to save millions of babies around the world, organizers and guests denounced today.
The congress of the International Confederation of Midwives, held every three years, begins this weekend in Portugal.
At the center of the discussions are ways to reduce fences 260 thousand deaths of women annually during pregnancy or childbirth, as well as the 4.2 million babies who die at birth or during the first month of life.
But at least 20 top speakers from Africa and Asiawhere these deaths are particularly concentrated, were denied entry to the European continent at the last minute, ICM reported to the French news agency, AFP.
Other delegates may also have been prevented from participating.
“I was ready to lead a session about how evidence-based recommendations can keep women and babies alive in the most challenging circumstances,” he told AFP Harriet Akelloexecutive of the NGO “”, which works in remote areas of Uganda.
“Decision makers from all over the world are in Lisbon, and here I am, in Uganda, the explain to an embassy why I should be allowed to travel”, he told AFP, adding that his visa application was declined on Thursdaydespite having submitted over a month ago.
Experts from Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh and India suffered the same fateaccording to the organizers.
“We need to hear from leading researchersthose who are on the front line in the fight against preventable deaths”, said Kate Stringeradvisor to the International Confederation of Midwives.
“Every two minutes, a mother dies. These visa denials silence precisely those we need to hear from most,” he added.
The Lusa agency questioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) about the accusations put forward by the AFP and about how many requests were received and how many were refused, and with what justification.
The MNE sent in response: “All short-stay visa applications submitted at Portuguese consular posts are analyzed and processed in a rigorous, objective and factualin full compliance with the rules and criteria provided for in the Schengen Visa Code”.
He added that the same procedure is applied by Member States that legally represent Portugal in geographies where there is no direct Portuguese consular representation.
The MNE also stated that “Portugal maintains its firm commitment to ensuring arapid, uniform and transparent processing of processes”.
A note this Friday on the ICM website states that more than 100 midwifery leaders call for urgent reconsideration of visa denials.
According to the note, hundreds of midwives are being excluded of the largest world meeting of the specialty, which many of them are leaders, academicsresearchers and lecturers, who work in regions with high mortality and their experience is essential in the debates.
Visa refusalsilences midwives whose work is essential to save lives”, reads the NGO’s statement.
