STATEMENT CALLING FOR SUPPORT TO WOMEN TO BREASTFEED

THE CONCERN

Over 10 million of the world’s children die every year before they reach their first birthday. That is, over 27,706 per day, or 1157 per hour. Of these, over a third – 457 – are less than a month old.

Most of these deaths are linked to malnutrition. 15% of infants are born with low birth weight, which is a result of inadequate maternal nutrition. Malnutrition in infants is linked to sub-optimal feeding practices, particularly early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding for six months, rather than to hunger.

Growing evidence points out how vital it is that an infant starts breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, breastfeeds exclusively for six months, and continues to breastfeed for two years or more, with adequate and appropriate complementary foods being introduced after the sixth month. Initiation breastfeeding within the first hour reduces the risk of neonatal mortality by six times. Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent up to 15% of under-5 deaths, and appropriate feeding practices from the 7th month onwards can reduce these deaths by another 6%.

Only 36% of women across the world are successful in carrying out exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. The pressures come from lack of support, cultural beliefs and traditions, demands of the work place, and primarily from a lack of self-confidence in their ability to optimally breastfeed their babies.

Recalling the global commitments enshrined in the

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW);
• International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions;
• ILO Convention 183 on Maternity Protection of 2000;
• Millennium Development Goal 1, 4 and 5 to reduce poverty, undernutrition, child mortality and maternal mortality;
• Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, 2002;
• Innocenti Declaration on Infant and Young Child Feeding 2005;
• World Summit for Children 1990;
• World Declaration on Nutrition 1992;

We, the undersigned, call upon all governments of the world to undertake on an emergency footing the following six actions to protect, promote and support breastfeeding:

1. Ensure that optimal breastfeeding practices are mainstreamed in national health and development programmes, including provision of skilled counseling to develop women’s confidence in their ability to breastfeed, to mobilize community support and to provide treatment where required.
2. Ensure that all women get access to adequate and affordable health care services and nutrition, especially during pregnancy to reduce the incidence of low birth weight.
3. Mainstream/Rejuvenate the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.
4. Ensure that all women get skilled support to initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth.
5. Ensure that policies and systems are in place that will allow all women to keep their children in close proximity to enable exclusive breastfeeding.
6. Strictly implement, and if necessary develop national legislation based on the International Code for Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, with proper monitoring for violations.

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