World Breastfeeding Week(WBW) is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August. The day is celebrated across the world in more than 120 countries. The WBW is celebrated with an aim to encourage breastfeeding by spreading awareness and to improve the health of newborn babies across the world.
As per the UNICEF report, about 60% of the world’s total infants don’t get the exclusive breastfeeding of the recommended six months. Which is increasing the death rates among infants.
This year, WHO is working with UNICEF and other organizations to promote the importance of family-friendly policies to enable breastfeeding and help parents nurture and bond with their children in early life, when it matters most.
Awareness for breastfeeding could prevent 823,000 deaths in children under age 5 annually and 20,000 annual deaths from breast cancer.
| World Breastfeeding Week - 2019 Theme: “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding” |
The objective of this theme is to aware parents about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. As it is beneficial for both mother and child.
It has been said that breast milk is the first natural food for newborn babies. It provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life.
Breast milk is a child’s nutritional needs up to half or more of daily nutrition. It requires to be continued in children aged between 6–23 months.
| Advantages of Breastfeeding |
- Breastfeeding is vital to a child’s lifelong health as it promotes better health for mothers and children alike and reduces the infant mortality rate.
- Breastfeeding within the first hour of birth protects newborn babies from infections like early-stage diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections and saves lives.
- It decreases the risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease in the mother.
| Breastfeeding Week -2019 in India |
The number of activities is being organized by the Food and Nutrition Board under the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the country. Such as Quiz competition on IYCF held in 30 States and Union Territories through 43 Community Food and Nutrition Extension Units of Food and Nutrition Board.
| How World Breastfeeding Week Came into Existence |
The day came into existence in August 1990 by government policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organizations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
World Breastfeeding Week was first celebrated in 1992 by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA).
The day is now observed in over 120 countries by UNICEF, WHO and their partners including individuals, organizations, and governments.
Governments also play a vital role in protecting the health of women and children. The government makes policies and programmes that spread awareness and enhance breastfeeding.
| About World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) |
WABA is a global network of individuals and organisations dedicated to the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. Every year, WABA coordinates and organises the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) between August 1 to 7. Since 2016, WABA has aligned his WBW campaign to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As per the WHO reports, this year, WHO is working with UNICEF and partners to promote the importance of family-friendly policies to enable breastfeeding and help parents nurture and bond with their children in early life, when it matters most.
The organisation is promoting a law which includes paid maternity leave for a minimum of 18 weeks and paid paternity leave. The objective of promoting paid paternity leave is to encourage shared responsibility of caring for their children on an equal basis.
