A strong regulatory system that supports professional health care cadres is required to sustain a fully functioning health care system. Regulatory systems are what ultimately ensure the existence of well-trained clinicians with standardized and updated skills who can competently serve their communities. ACNM possesses decades of domestic experience strengthening the profession of midwifery in the United States. ACNM has experience addressing regulatory issues ranging from certification and licensing to continuing education, scope of practice, and codes of ethics. Health care professionals are often the first to recognize the need for such regulation. Clinicians are well-positioned to understand the limitations to improving health systems and patient care as well as the potential solutions to overcoming these limitations. As such, professional associations can be powerful change agents. In addition to working on regulatory structures with midwifery and nursing councils and ministries of health, ACNM has assisted with capacity-building and institution-strengthening of midwifery associations around the world including: Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Senegal, Eritrea, Tanzania, Morocco, Indonesia, and Afghanistan. ACNM work with professional associations focuses on building membership capacity to become in-country resources for the profession and systems strengthening to effectively impact policy and establish standards for the profession. For additional information on DGO's approach to strengthening health professions please click here.