Significant progress has been made in recent decades in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, but there is now a need to make progress in the quality of care: evidence shows that countries despite their income levels, face challenges with providing high-quality of maternal and newborn care.

Beyond 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) envisions a world in which "every pregnant woman and newborn receives quality care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. WHO in 2024 launched its position paper, urging countries to move towards a model not focused on risk, but towards care, in which mother and child receive respectful, continuous and person-centered care, provided and coordinated by midwives, working closely with the obstetric team. This human rights-based model of care has shown lower mortality and admission to neonatal intensive care, reduced unnecessary obstetric interventions, lower rates of cesarean sections, greater maternal satisfaction, and finally lower economic costs.

Midwifery education, training and leadership is vital for driving change, supporting midwives, and improving outcomes for women and families. There is an urgent need to understand how midwives can be effectively integrated into health systems. This effort requires both quantitative and qualitative research efforts. Additionally, it is important to address transdisciplinary solution-focused questions, based on the knowledge of diverse interprofessional groups, individuals and communities, across regions.

Quality midwifery care requires high quality education and training, including up to date and evidence-based training materials. Evidence also demonstrates that there is an urgent need for a transformative approach to midwifery education to ensure that midwives, and others who provide elements of midwifery care in the multi-disciplinary team can support women’s own capabilities, while using critical thinking and decision making to prevent unnecessary interventions yet respond appropriately to emergencies should they arise. Effective leadership drives change, fosters collaboration, and enhances maternity care systems, highlighting lack of research in midwifery leadership.

We call for papers focused on midwifery education, training and leadership to support a transition to Midwifery Models of Care, particularly Midwives Led Care models. Original research, research experiences, literature reviews, scoping and systematic reviews, policy briefs are welcome to be submitted to this series when related, but not limited to the following themes:

• Education and Training for strengthening midwifery competences
• Interprofessional Education
• Barriers and Enablers to Midwifery Leadership
• Leadership and empowerment for midwifery carers
• Leadership development: helping forces and hindering forces

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Education and Leadership for Midwifery Models of Care