Nurses and midwives form the majority of health care workers across all health care settings and particularly in the primary health care context. In rural settings and in developing countries the nurse or midwife may be the only local source of health care. The Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation (CNMF), founded in 1973, is a federation of national nursing and midwifery associations in Commonwealth countries. The CNMF has regular and constructive contact with major Commonwealth bodies in London including the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation.