UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the call in a joint statement to mark the start of World Breastfeeding Week, which is celebrated annually from 1 to 7 August.
“When mothers receive the support they need to breastfeed their babies, everyone benefits. Improving breastfeeding rates could save more than 820,000 children’s lives each year, according to the latest available data,” they said.
Breast milk contains antibodies that protect babies from disease and death. This is especially important during emergencies, when breastfeeding ensures a safe, nutritious and accessible food source for infants and young children.
Breastfeeding also reduces the burden of childhood diseases and the risk of certain cancers and non-communicable diseases for mothers.
Short fall
“Over the past 12 years, the number of babies under six months of age who are exclusively breastfed has increased by more than 10 percent worldwide. This means that 48 percent of babies worldwide are now benefiting from this healthy start in life,” the agency said.
While this represents a significant leap towards the WHO goal of increasing exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50 percent by 2025, challenges remain that need to be addressed.
An estimated 4.5 billion people – more than half the world's population – do not have full coverage of essential health services, they said.
As a result, many women do not receive the support they need to optimally breastfeed their babies, including “trained, empathetic and respectful health advice” and counseling.
Reliable data, supportive policies
“Collecting reliable data is key to addressing inequalities in health care and ensuring that mothers and families receive timely and effective breastfeeding support,” they continued, noting that only half of all countries currently collect data on breastfeeding rates.
Data are also needed on policy measures that make breastfeeding possible, they added, such as family-friendly employment policies, regulation of the marketing of breast-milk substitutes and investment in breastfeeding.
Agency heads stressed that when breastfeeding is protected and supported, women are more than twice as likely to breastfeed their babies, and “this is a shared responsibility.”
They said families, communities, health workers, policymakers and other decision-makers can play a central role by increasing investment in programs and policies that protect and support breastfeeding through dedicated national budgets.
Other actions include implementing and monitoring family-friendly workplace policies, such as paid maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks, and access to affordable, quality childcare.
They also called for ensuring that mothers at risk in emergency situations or in underrepresented communities receive breastfeeding protection and support as part of routine health coverage.
