Transforming Midwifery Education for Global Health: Massoma Jafari’s Mission

Massoma Jafari, a PhD student at IHPME, is transforming maternal health and midwifery education to ensure childbirth is safe, dignified, and grounded in gender equity.

By: Marielle Boutin

Massoma Jafari’s story is one that paints a picture of a very harsh reality. A dedicated midwife from Afghanistan, Jafari was born into a family that was touched by loss. Her grandmother died giving birth to her mother, and subsequently, her grandfather’s second wife died in childbirth while delivering her son, Jafari’s uncle.

While this is an incomparable tragedy for most, it is one that is all too familiar to Jafari. Afghanistan consistently ranks among the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman or to give birth, and it is ranked as one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates among women and children. Factors such as political strife and restrictions on women’s rights have persistently contributed to these challenges.  

“I have witnessed firsthand how inequality and injustice shape women’s lives and limit their access to care,” says Jafari, stating that this systemic discrimination is what inspired her to become a midwife and dedicate her life to improving maternal health and advancing gender-based equity.  

After completing her diploma in midwifery education, she joined the Afghan Midwives Association (AMA), where her dedication and leadership eventually led her to serve as Vice President. She later continued her studies, earning a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery from Zawul Institute of Higher Education in Afghanistan. 

During her travels across the country, Jafari witnessed firsthand the complex challenges faced by women, families, and midwives. These insights fueled her role in establishing the Afghanistan Nurses and Midwives Council and advancing key initiatives such as the Community Nursing Curricula revision and the Respectful Maternity Care campaign. Through these collaborative national efforts, she came to understand the twofold reality: the struggles mothers face in seeking care and the challenges midwives encounter in providing it. This dual perspective continues to shape Jafari’s vision for improving maternal health in her home country. 

In 2016, she was recognized by the International Confederation of Midwives as a Young Midwives Leader and participated in a two-year leadership program alongside other emerging midwifery leaders from around the world. During this time, she also worked with Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University. These experiences gave her the opportunity to compare Afghanistan’s maternal health landscape with global practices and priorities. Engaging with international colleagues and observing diverse health systems broadened her perspective, helping her see how leadership, education, and collaboration can bridge local challenges with global commitments to respectful, quality maternal care. 

After moving to Canada, Jafari studied Project Management at George Brown College and completed a Master’s in Global Health at McMaster University. These academic and professional experiences, including her work with the Canadian Red Cross, strengthened her understanding of how effective management and teamwork are essential in humanitarian settings where maternal and child health are often impacted by urgency and limited resources. 

Now, she is completing her PhD in Health Professions Education Research (HPER) at IHPME under the supervision of Dr. Cynthia R. Whitehead, focusing her doctoral research on midwifery education in the context of global health.  

“Massoma is a passionate advocate for better health and better education globally,” says Dr. Whitehead. “Her doctoral research on midwifery education in Afghanistan is contributing important scholarship related to maternal-child health and the education of women and girls.” 

Jafari’s contributions have been noticed by academic and research communities worldwide, having been named among the 2025-26 Vanier Scholars cohort and more recently recognized with the Dignitas International Global Health Policy and Research Award.  

These recognitions are a testament to Jafari’s resilience and an important steppingstone towards advancing equity-driven education, which she says is more than just providing equal access, but also about creating an inclusive environment where diverse lived experiences are seen as valuable knowledge. 

“As a newcomer and refugee, equity means that my accent, my story, and my lived experience are not barriers that silence me, but rather sources of insight, strength, and perspective that enrich academic spaces,” says Jafari. “It also means ensuring that I have access to the same mentors, supervisors, learning materials, and research opportunities as anyone else. Equity means having tailored support to help close knowledge gaps and remove financial barriers that could limit my potential.” 

Reflecting on the recognitions she has received, Jafari says they are more than simple acknowledgments of her work, but meaningful affirmations of the stories and struggles that have shaped her journey. Ultimately, however, they are a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to empower skilled and compassionate midwives and see maternal mortality rates decline. 

“These recognitions inspire me to keep pushing forward, to learn more, to do more, and to contribute more boldly. Above all, it renews my commitment to building a world where every woman, everywhere, can give birth safely, with dignity, and with hope for the future.” 

For Jafari, true success means a world where childbirth is never a life-threatening experience, but one marked by dignity, where respect is the norm and gender equity is not just a goal, but a living reality.