Midwifery experts from Africa and Asia denied visas to Portugal conference

Several midwifery experts from Africa and Asia have been denied visas to attend a major conference in Portugal, raising concerns about reduced representation at a global maternal health meeting. Organisers say at least 20 speakers were affected, despite applying in advance, potentially weakening discussions aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths worldwide.

Multiple midwifery experts from Africa and Asia have been denied visas to attend a major international conference in Portugal, a development organisers say could undermine global efforts to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) congress, which is held every three years, is scheduled to begin on Sunday in Lisbon. The gathering focuses on improving maternal and newborn health outcomes, with particular attention on reducing the estimated 260,000 women who die annually during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as about 4.2 million stillbirths and newborn deaths recorded each year.
Organisers say at least 20 key speakers from countries including Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, and India were denied entry to Europe shortly before the event. They also expressed concern that additional delegates may have been affected by similar last-minute visa refusals, potentially limiting participation from regions where maternal health challenges are most severe.
One of the affected participants, Harriet Akello, a midwifery director with Mother Health International in Uganda, said she was informed her visa had been rejected just a day before her planned departure, despite submitting her application more than a month in advance. She explained that she had been scheduled to lead a session on evidence-based approaches to improving maternal and newborn survival in difficult and resource-limited settings.
Akello said she had already prepared extensively for the conference and found the timing of the decision particularly frustrating, especially as the discussions in Lisbon are expected to include global policymakers and health experts. She added that she had previously travelled internationally, including to Sweden, and had always complied with visa conditions and return requirements.
Conference organisers also highlighted the case of an Ethiopian assistant professor who had been selected for the ICM Midwife Leaders Executive Sponsorship Programme but was rejected on the grounds of “inadequate financial bank statement and an unreliable purpose of travel,” according to their account of the visa decision.
The visa denials have drawn criticism from organisers who argue that excluding experts from low- and middle-income countries weakens the quality of discussions at a conference focused largely on the regions most affected by maternal and infant mortality. They stressed that many of the invited speakers are frontline practitioners and researchers working directly in high-risk environments, and their absence limits the exchange of practical, evidence-based solutions.
The situation has also sparked wider debate, coming shortly after reports that a Somali FIFA referee was denied entry to officiate at an international tournament, raising concerns about broader patterns affecting global mobility for professionals from certain regions.
Some delegates who successfully obtained visas are expected to take part in a planned “One Million More” march in Lisbon during the conference, which aims to draw attention to the global shortage of midwives and advocate for stronger investment in maternal healthcare systems worldwide.