Student midwife to rub shoulders with World Bank delegates

A Charles Darwin University student from Alice Springs will mix and mingle with some of the world’s financial heavyweights when the World Bank convenes in Washington DC for its annual meeting next week.

Midwifery student Clarice Kimlin is the sole Territorian among four Australian youth delegates selected by leadership development organisation Global Voices to attend the high-powered gathering in the US capital.

The mother-of-four, who has lived on remote Central Australian cattle stations for most of the past decade, described the application and preparation process as a “whirlwind”.

“Until four weeks ago I was like any other university student, but I’ve since been to Canberra for meetings with former government ministers (Gareth Evans and Craig Emerson) and now I’m about to leave for Washington,” she said.

Mrs Kimlin said she was interested in exploring how the profession of midwifery could contribute better health outcomes among financially disadvantaged remote people, and thus inform the World Bank’s mandate of reducing global poverty.

“Education is the key to a cultural shift that must start at conception and must continue through the cycle of life,” Mrs Kimlin said.

“Ensuring that the next generation of remote Indigenous people are healthy, bright and educated is central to achieving the World Bank’s goals.”

Mrs Kimlin said her midwifery studies had exposed her to some of Australia’s poorest women and to unacceptable rates of infant morbidity and mortality.

“I would like to play an active role in the development of practical solutions that bring about better services for remote people and ultimately, improved health outcomes.”

Mrs Kimlin said the experience of attending an event of significance on the world stage would potentially reinforce her credentials as an advocate for issues effecting remote women and children.