World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.
Welcome to WBW 2012 It's Time To Act After 10 Years Global Strategy And 20 Years WBW!
20years ago, theWorld Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) launched its firstWorld BreastfeedingWeek (WBW) campaign with the theme: "Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative". So much has happened in these 20 years, it is time to celebrate but also to look back, understand what has happened and why. Then plan what more can be done to support all women to be able to optimally feed and care for of their infants and young children.
WBW 2012 Objectives
2. To celebrate successes and achievements nationally, regionally and globally and showcase national work at global level.
3. To assess the status of implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (GS).
4. To call for action to bridge the remaining gaps in policy and programmes on breastfeeding and IYCF.
5. To draw public attention on the state of policy and programmes on breastfeeding and IYCF.
What is the Global Strategy?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF) jointly developed and launched the Global
Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (GS) in 2002 reaffirming the
four Innocenti targets set in 1995, and setting additional targets. The
GS has identified a clear need for optimal infant feeding practices in
reducing malnutrition as well as poverty. It is based on a human rights
approach and calls for the development of comprehensive national
policies on infant and young child feeding. It provides guidance on how
to protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for first six
months, and continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond together
with adequate, appropriate and indigenous complementary feeding starting
from the age of six months.
How and Why we should monitor status of implementation of the Global Strategy?
In 2004 - 2005 the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) one of WABA's core partners launched the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) ,
to track, assess and monitor the implementation of the Global Strategy.
According to UNICEF's State of the World's Children Report 2011, 136.7
million babies are born worldwide and only 32.6 % of them are breastfed
exclusively in the first six months. According to the WBTi assessment of
40 countries ,
most of the 40 countries do not have an effective IYCF policy with an
adequate budget for implementation. To be able to increase breastfeeding
rates, it is important to assess policies and programmes and take
action accordingly.
In a village near Lucknow, mothers do not feed their newborns till the village priest
declares a mahurat. All this while, the child is fed on honey. The
'belief' is only an example to show why 85% of mothers in UP deprive
their neonates from the first does of nutrition that builds immunity
against all sorts of diseases and infections.
To stress upon the importance of the matter, health agencies across the world observe the first week of August as World Breastfeeding Awareness Week. As a part of the same, a symposium was organised by the National Rural Health Mission's state programme management unit on Monday. Deliberating over the issue, mission director, NRHM, Mukesh Meshram said, "We need strategies that can dispel the myths related to this life saving exercise. NGOs and professional can play an important role."
Citing scientific evidences, experts present on the occasion said, "It is recommended that children be put to the breast immediately within one hour of birth." Findings of the Annual Health Survey support the view. "There is growing evidence of the benefits to mother and child of early initiation of breastfeeding preferably in the first hour of the birth. Early initiation of breastfeeding contributes in reducing neo-natal mortality. It ensures early skin to skin contact, which is important in preventing hypothermia and establishing the bond between the mother and her child. Early initiation of breastfeeding also reduces the mother's risk of post-partum haemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality," it reads.
According to a Lancet Study for India, the most important factor for improving child survival in India is ensuring colostrums feeding within one hour after birth and exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of children in the country, and also has a very high infant mortality rate. This year 'World Breastfeeding Week' was marked by several activities at the state level, district level and the block level.
From the WHO website.
To stress upon the importance of the matter, health agencies across the world observe the first week of August as World Breastfeeding Awareness Week. As a part of the same, a symposium was organised by the National Rural Health Mission's state programme management unit on Monday. Deliberating over the issue, mission director, NRHM, Mukesh Meshram said, "We need strategies that can dispel the myths related to this life saving exercise. NGOs and professional can play an important role."
Citing scientific evidences, experts present on the occasion said, "It is recommended that children be put to the breast immediately within one hour of birth." Findings of the Annual Health Survey support the view. "There is growing evidence of the benefits to mother and child of early initiation of breastfeeding preferably in the first hour of the birth. Early initiation of breastfeeding contributes in reducing neo-natal mortality. It ensures early skin to skin contact, which is important in preventing hypothermia and establishing the bond between the mother and her child. Early initiation of breastfeeding also reduces the mother's risk of post-partum haemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality," it reads.
According to a Lancet Study for India, the most important factor for improving child survival in India is ensuring colostrums feeding within one hour after birth and exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of children in the country, and also has a very high infant mortality rate. This year 'World Breastfeeding Week' was marked by several activities at the state level, district level and the block level.
From the WHO website.
How and Why we should monitor status of implementation of the Global Strategy?
In 2004 - 2005 the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) one of WABA's core partners launched the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) ,
to track, assess and monitor the implementation of the Global Strategy.
According to UNICEF's State of the World's Children Report 2011, 136.7
million babies are born worldwide and only 32.6 % of them are breastfed
exclusively in the first six months. According to the WBTi assessment of
40 countries ,
most of the 40 countries do not have an effective IYCF policy with an
adequate budget for implementation. To be able to increase breastfeeding
rates, it is important to assess policies and programmes and take
action accordingly.
WBW 2011 PhotosWelcome to WBW 2012
It's Time To Act After 10 Years Global Strategy And 20 Years WBW !
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