In Lesotho (a small landlocked kingdom in southern Africa), around 300 male midwives are reshaping attitudes toward childbirth care, despite men making up less than 1% of midwives globally. Practitioners like Ntlhane Sehloho, who travels three hours along mountain roads to reach his clinic, were encouraged by health authorities to train as midwives in order to address critical staffing shortages and high maternal mortality — the country records roughly 530 deaths per 100,000 live births, nearly triple the global average. While some women remain more comfortable with female practitioners, the push has yielded results: UNICEF data show that 92% of births in Lesotho are now attended by a trained healthcare provider, and officials say gender should play no role in determining who delivers that care.