This textbook is the first authoritative, in-depth publication about global midwifery and the contribution of skilled professional midwives to the provision of high quality maternity care, reductions in maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. It demonstrates actions that are contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals through partnership with women and their families, enabling them to ‘survive, thrive and transform’. The textbook explores how the world is becoming more connected through globalisation, advances in technology and innovation and yet more inequitable as women and children are disproportionately affected by issues such as poverty, environmental vulnerability, hunger, conflict, violence, and discrimination. It considers how midwives contribute to maternal and newborn health, leading to greater equity and empowerment and, ultimately, strengthening health systems. The ‘three pillars’ of midwifery are discussed: regulation, education and professional midwives’ associations. The importance of evidence-based care is explored along with diff erent models of midwifery and the challenges of developing professional leadership. This textbook also considers women’s human rights to sexual and reproductive health and respectful maternity care, stressing the importance of cultural sensitivity and contextually appropriate approaches. Midwives and other professionals will benefi t from this reliable resource that indicates direction and provides information about the principles and practice of professional midwifery. This text also provides universities, organisations, and individuals with a highly relevant resource to better equip them for international midwifery practice. It finally offers policy makers a reliable source of evidence-based information for consideration in various evolving national and international situations. “This publication is a fine piece of work written by a team of renowned, experienced authors … . The book has a wide focus on global midwifery, its milestones and its development including very useful resources to assist countries to adopt and transform midwifery education and practice, based on multiple sources of evidence. … My recommendation and advice to midwifery leaders, students and teachers is to secure their copies for their personal and official use.” (Kiran Bajracharya, Journal of Asian Midwives, Vol. 8 (2), 2021) This book is the first authoritative, in-depth publication about global midwifery and the contribution of skilled professional midwives to the provision of high quality maternity care, reductions in maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. It demonstrates actions that are contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals through partnership with women and their families, enabling them to ‘survive, thrive and transform’.The book explores how the world is becoming more connected through globalisation, advances in technology and innovation and yet more inequitable as women and children are disproportionately affected by issues such as poverty, environmental vulnerability, hunger, conflict, violence, and discrimination. It considers how midwives contribute to maternal and newborn health, leading to greater equity and empowerment and, ultimately, strengthening health systems. The ‘three pillars’ of midwifery are discussed: regulation, education and professional midwives’ associations. The importance of evidence-based care is explored along with different models of midwifery and the challenges of developing professional leadership. This book also considers women’s human rights to sexual and reproductive health and respectful maternity care, stressing the importance of cultural sensitivity and contextually appropriate approaches.Midwives and other professionals will benefit from this reliable resource that indicates direction and provides information about the principles and practice of professional midwifery. This text also provides universities, organisations, and individuals with a highly relevant resource to better equip them for international midwifery practice. It finally offers policy makers a reliable source of evidence-based information for consideration in various evolving national and international situations. Joy Kemp is a Global Professional Advisor at the Royal College of Midwives. Joy’s international career started in 1988 when she worked in a maternal and child health clinic in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand. This was followed by further humanitarian work in several other countries. In the 1990s she lived in a remote village in Cambodia, working as a health adviser to a longer term community development project. She is a fluent Khmer speaker. Joy then spent three years working with the NGO Tearfund, coordinating projects in Southeast Asia and working with local partners to build their organisational capacity. Returning to the UK in 2000, Joy worked in clinical midwifery practice, researc