Midwives are essential for healthy nations! This narrative 'herstory' uncovers some of the mysteries and challenges during the past 100 years that surrounded a beleaguered profession and its global organisation, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). It tells the story of the power that a unified force of strong women leading the ICM and its midwifery associations did for Safe Motherhood and empowering women throughout the world. Their efforts resulted in today's ICM being a vital standard-setting group for midwives and a respected advocate for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents and women, for healthy mothers and newborns, and, globally, for healthy nations.