WBW is celebrated every 1-7 August in commemoration of the 1990 Innocenti Declaration an officially launched in 1992.
This year, for WBW 2021, WABA has selected the theme: Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.
The theme is aligned with thematic area 2 of the WBW-SDG 2030 campaign which highlights the links between breastfeeding and survival, health and wellbeing of women, children, and nations.
WABA states that this year’s objectives are to:
- Inform people about the importance of protecting breastfeeding.
- Anchor breastfeeding support as a vital public health responsibility.
- Engage with individuals and organizations for greater impact.
- Galvanize action on protecting breastfeeding to improve public health.
Pregnancy and lactation are especially vulnerable times for working women and their families. Expectant and nursing mothers require special protection to prevent harm to their or their infants’ health, and they need adequate time to give birth, recover, and nurse their children. At the same time, they also require protection to ensure that their jobs are not jeopardized because of pregnancy or maternity leave.
Maternity Protection is key to enable breastfeeding and empower parents for a successful implementation of recommended breastfeeding practices. PAHO/WHO recommends that countries must implement and reinforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes at all levels. It is vital to ensure that breastfeeding mothers do not get targeted by the industry, marketing, or public health professional who want to jeopardize their breastfeeding by promoting formula-feeding.