Iran has been hit hard by COVID-19.

Midwives have been on the frontlines of the response, often at great risk to their own health and safety.

Here is a tribute to three midwives who lost their lives in the service of others.

On the International Day of the Midwife 2020, UNFPA Iran pays tribute to these brave souls, and to midwives everywhere.

UNFPA, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, works in Iran and over 150 other countries globally to achieve zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence and other harmful practices against women and girls - a vision enshrined in the Programme of Action stemming from the landmark 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

To learn more about our response to COVID-19, visit www.unfpa.org/covid19

To support our lifesaving work amid the pandemic, visit https://donate.unfpa.org/th-en/covid-19