Welcome to the February 2025 ICN Monthly Update!

We are pleased to offer a summary of our endeavors, achievements, and notable events from the past month. We invite you to explore the latest developments, discoveries, and highlights within our community. Thank you for choosing to stay informed and engaged with us through our Monthly Update!

CGFNS podcast interview

Dr Cipriano took part in a CGFNS International “Care Anywhere” podcast, highlighting that universal health coverage cannot succeed without bold and sustained investment in nurses. Read more here.

WHO Executive Board

Howard Catton and ICN staff, Hoi Shan Fokeladeh and Karine Lavoie, took part on the 156th session of the WHO’s Executive Board, 3-11 February. ICN’s interventions ensured the nursing voice was heard in the discussions on Universal Health Coverage, Health and Care Workforce, Climate Change and Health, Mental Health and Social Connection and Global strategies and plans of action. To see the video and ICN’s statements in full, click here.

Education Division of the Israeli Nurses Union conference

Pam Cipriano and Howard Catton extended their greetings to the attendees of the conference of the Education Division of the Israeli Nurses Union held in Eilat on 16-18 February with the theme Choosing Life. In their message they emphasized the crucial role that nurses play in promoting healthy living for all and in bringing hope and healing to communities, especially in times of suffering and crisis and reiterated ICN’s support for nurses dealing with the horrors of conflict and the aftermath of violence. They stressed ICN’s call for peace to be restored and for an end to all violence in the region

Updated statement on health care in conflict

ICN published an updated our policy statement on Health care in conflict: the nursing perspective to reaffirm our commitment to supporting nurses and ensuring their safety in combat zones around the world. Nurses have been at the forefront of these crises, responding to emergencies, supporting recovery efforts, and providing essential care to those affected by violence and displacement.

Women in Global Health and UHC

President Cipriano provided the opening keynote in a webinar sponsored by Women in Global Health, “From Local to Global: Women leading UHC transformation.” She stressed the need for health systems to ensure gender equity is in place to close the gaps in health outcomes for women and girls. All speakers advocated for applying a gender lens to ensure equitable access to health services and gender-responsive health policies in UHC. Other UHC priorities such as effective public health insurance schemes and financial protection from impoverishing out of pocket health costs were emphasized. The discussion echoed the same principles of ICN’s economic power of care highlighting that when people are healthy, economies thrive. Supporting women as the majority of the health workforce and primary caregivers in families and communities, calls for investment in their health.

New guidance on integrating nurse leaders into heart of health workforce planning

ICN  has published a practical guide to including nurses in workforce planning decisions. Involving Nurse Leaders in Strategic Health Workforce Planning, provides guidance on how to engage nurses in the process and access the knowledge, insight and expertise of the nursing profession to better shape and drive health workforce plans for the entire health workforce.

United Nations ECOSOC Partnership Forum

The 2025 annual meeting of the Partnership Forum of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) focused on the urgency to enact solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Specific emphasis was on SDGs 3 (Good health and well-being), 5 (Gender equality), 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 14 (Life below water), and 17 (Partnerships for the goals). Attendees from member states, NGOs, local governments, private sector, civil society, the UN system, international financial institutions, academia, youth and others, came together to advance actions to accomplish the 2030 agenda and address new challenges. President Cipriano was a panellist for the SDG3 Action Segment and emphasized achieving alignment between partners for solutions that reduce the fragmentation between the health sector and social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. She stressed the need for stakeholders to work to drive critical policy reforms that uphold the UHC Political Declaration on UHC that calls for strengthening primary health care as a means to addressing interrelated priorities of health security. She also participated in a UHC2030 sponsored side event to Advance SDG3.

European Early Career Future Leaders

The European Early Career Future Leaders programme for nurses, midwives and students was developed in collaboration with European partners: Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, European Federation of National Nursing and Midwifery Associations, European Nursing Student Association, ICN, WHO, WHO Collaborating Centre Israel. The purpose of the project is to bring together key nursing and midwifery partners in Europe to conduct a needs analysis with key stakeholders to determine content and syllabus for a leadership development programme for early career nurses and midwives in Europe; co-design the programme with key European stakeholders including nurses and midwives in the early phases of their careers; prepare and pilot the programme; and establish a robust evaluation process for the programme and undertake a full analysis of the pilot programme. Erica Burton, ICN Senior Policy Analyst, represented ICN on the steering committee.

Nursing student visit

On 18 February, ICN welcomed a group of nursing students from the College of Rockies (Canada) at the ICN office in Geneva. The visit was planned as part of the students’ academic studies. ICN senior policy advisor, Hoi Shan Fokeladeh, had the pleasure to speak about the history, tasks, and current projects of the ICN.

OECD report on patient-reported outcomes

ICN has welcomed a new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which has captured the self-reported health outcomes and experiences of patients with chronic conditions across Europe. The report, Does Healthcare Deliver? Results from the Patient‑Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) was commissioned after OECD identified that patient-reported measures were absent from advice given to OECD countries’ health ministers. Read more on the OECD website.

Momentum continues to build within ODENNA Africa as more NAMI mentorships kick off, including for one of our French-speaking teams. Ongoing mentorships are proving to be transformative, with teams fostering deep learning through shared experiences and gaining a greater appreciation of diverse global health systems. One team recently collaborated on a funding bid, demonstrating proactive engagement and strong teamwork in securing support for their initiatives.

In addition, Somaliland, one of our ODENNA Pitch Contest grant winners, has successfully completed four nurse training sessions over four months at Hargeisa Group Hospital, with nearly 100 nurses participating. Plans are now underway to celebrate their achievements with a graduation ceremony.

Looking ahead to Congress 2025, we’re creating opportunities to spotlight ODENNA projects and stories—be sure to join our sessions and celebrate these incredible efforts!

LFC national programmes continue their leadership education and change projects, and Taiwan National Nursing Association has kicked off its 6th cohort.

We also take a moment to recognize Dr Kristine Qureshi as she steps down as LFC Global Programme Director. Dr Qureshi has been an instrumental leader, mentor, and advocate, shaping the programme’s success and inspiring countless nurse leaders worldwide. While she is stepping back from her formal role of programme director, we are grateful for her continued support and dedication to advancing leadership in nursing and her influence and support will remain a valued part of our community. Finally, keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to share success stories highlighting the real-world impact of LFC education—these inspiring stories will be featured at Congress 2025!

Our discussions with NNAs in Africa and the Middle East have enabled us to identify potential projects, including collaboration with local health facilities eager to enhance their supply of essential medication, which will be shared with our partner, Direct Relief.

In the Americas, we reached out to our NNAs to better understand their situations, especially focusing on those working in humanitarian crises. 25 NNAs were identified who face numerous humanitarian challenges, including population displacement, climate change, socioeconomic crises, health emergencies, and violence. Introductions have been made with the identified NNAs to the Direct Relief strategic partnership. The first in this series of meetings has taken place with the Asociación Nacional de Enfermeras de El Salvador (ANES), focusing on the need to empower nurses despite economic limitations and low salaries, highlighting the impact the country’s economic situation on the educational opportunities of nurses.

ICN also had the opportunity to attend the AIDEX Humanitarian finance summit. A key theme of the summit was the need for the humanitarian sector to explore alternative financial and funding strategies beyond grants allocation. The summit highlighted the need for innovative finance and blended finance mechanisms to be deployed in the humanitarian space.

For more information and to support ICN humanitarian activities, please visit the Nurses for Peace page. Contributions to the Humanitarian Fund can be made via ICN’s bank account or online.

GNLI will be prominently featured at the ICN Congress through special events and alumni presentations, showcasing the impact of GNLI scholars on global nursing leadership. We will host a GNLI-focused session, where past scholars will share their experiences and the outcomes of their regional projects, highlighting how GNLI has empowered them to shape policy and drive change. In addition, we are excited to introduce the GNLI Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions in policy leadership, collaboration, and team excellence among alumni. An open call for nominations will be announced soon. 

As we move forward, we encourage NNAs to help us identify senior nurse leaders who would benefit from attending our GNLI events. To learn more about the GNLI agenda at Congress, please contact [email protected].  

In parallel, preparations for the GNLI 2025 programme are well underway. Applications are now closed, and we are proud to confirm a very diverse pool of applicants, with all six regions strongly represented. As we continue to work on strengthening our partnership with WHO, we look forward to another impactful year of GNLI and appreciate your continued engagement in advancing nursing leadership worldwide. 

Nurse Leadership for Crisis Response and Recovery

The Nurse Leadership for Crisis Response and Recovery (NLCRR) project—formerly known as Leadership Training in Ukraine—is moving forward with great energy! Thanks to the generous support of Nurses For Peace and our dedicated ICN members, we are preparing to launch this vital initiative.

ICN is finalizing the details to implement a hybrid training model to equip 20-25 mid-career and senior nurses in Ukraine with leadership skills to navigate crises and drive healthcare transformation. Through online learning, an in-person workshop, and post-training mastermind groups, participants will build resilience, strengthen crisis leadership, foster peer networks, and support trauma recovery.

3rd Anniversary of the War in Ukraine

On the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Tetyana Chernishenko, President of the Ukrainian Nursing Association shared the ongoing challenges faced by Ukrainian nurses, including working in perilous conditions, dealing with burnout, and managing financial difficulties. Despite these hardships, nurses remain deeply committed to providing care. The conversation highlighted the need for continued education, mental health support, and financial aid to help sustain the nursing workforce. Ms Chernishenko expressed sincere gratitude for global solidarity and emphasized the critical role of international support in driving hope and recovery for nurses and health care workers in Ukraine.

GCEF

At the Girl Child Education Fund, our students are making significant progress as they continue their education and work toward securing their futures. In Eswatini, Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia, these young women remain dedicated to their studies, with each lesson contributing to their path ahead.

Since 2006, GCEF has supported the education and empowerment of over 430 girls, with many currently benefiting from this initiative. Your generosity continues to help these students succeed, making a positive impact in their communities and beyond. To support this cause, donations can be made through ICN's bank account or online portal.  For any inquiries, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Thank you for your continued support! 

ICNP

The ICNP strategic refresh is progressing as planned. Multiple rounds of consultation with the involved ICN and SNOMED teams and planning have contributed to shaping the 2025 programme. A final recommendation will be submitted for consideration by the ICN Board in mid-March. Time slots have also been scheduled at the Helsinki Congress for an ICNP symposium and a working session, with further details to be shared after the March Board meeting.

ICN Congress 2025

Only three months to go!!! Although Early Bird fees have ended for the ICN Congress 2025, make sure to still Register! To see more information on the Congress Key Topics, click here! Please check here to see if you need a visa. You can book your accommodation through our platform. See you 9-13 June 2025 in Helsinki, Finland!

ICN Congress 2025 Sponsors

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our current confirmed sponsors, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi. Their generous support and commitment to the ICN Congress 2025 are invaluable.

We are also excited to announce that the Edith Cowan University School of Nursing and Midwifery has confirmed their sponsorship! The Edith Cowan University (ECU) has a reputation for producing some of the highest quality nursing and midwifery graduates in Western Australia and is recognized as a top 75 nursing programme worldwide. The ECU School of Nursing and Midwifery offers a unique, multi-disciplinary approach integrating education, research and career development into its overall learning and teaching methodology.

International Nurses Day 2025

ICN has announced the theme IND 2025 as Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for nurses strengthens economies highlighting the critical role a healthy nursing workforce plays in strengthening economies, improving health systems, and ensuring better outcomes for communities worldwide. ICN shall be releasing the IND report a month early this year, in advance of the State of the World’s Nursing (SOWN) report, which will be released on 12 May. The IND report and the SOWN report are aligned on the importance of nurses’ wellbeing. The IND logo is available here.