Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent: Midwifery, Maternal Health and Inequality

Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE is the Chief Midwife of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). 

Jacqueline has a tremendous career in midwifery clinical practice and leadership. Prior to joining ICM, Jacqueline served as the first Chief Midwifery Officer for the NHS in England and was one of two National Maternity Safety Champions appointed by the Department for Health and Social Care. She was recognised as one of the Health Service Journal’s most influential people in health in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024, she was also celebrated as one of the NHS’s 75 most significant nurses and midwives in 2023 and is included in the Nursing Times’ Leaders 2015 list for pioneering and inspirational professionals.

She is a registered nurse and midwife and holds honorary doctorates from Worcester and Winchester Universities in the UK and a visiting Professorship in Midwifery at Kings College London and London South Bank University. She chairs the maternity advisory group for the Health and Race Observatory in England, serves on the Women of the Year management committee, acts as Midwifery Ambassador for the ‘Saying Goodbye’ charity, and holds key roles as Patron for Baby Lifeline and the Caribbean & African Health Network UK.

In this episode, Jacqueline shares some incredible stories from her career in midwifery, including leading national midwifery initiatives during COVID. Julia and Jacqueline talk about the needs of midwives and the status of maternal health worldwide. They discuss inequality and inequity of care and outcomes for women and mothers between regions and within countries - and the need for data in combination with the stories of women’s lived realities. Jacqueline speaks about her work with ICM and the importance of midwifery leadership through the crises we are witnessing in the world today.

Learn more: 

• International Confederation of Midwives

Julia Wiklander is the host of Hey Changemaker!, the founder of the global feminist media platform, Girls’ Globe, and a communications strategist for changemakers and organizations. 

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