“Unregulated donation of breastmilk substitutes combined with a lack of access to clean and safe water during emergencies place infants and young children at higher risk of malnutrition and mortality.  Investment in breastfeeding to address these inequalities is vital and can help reduce social disparities.”

 “Lack of breastfeeding during the critical first week negatively affects the overall breastfeeding initiations and prevalence... Breastfeeding can help level the playing field in our society, and it is crucial to ensure that everyone, particularly vulnerable groups, has access to breastfeeding support and opportunities.” – World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action 

“29% of mothers in Nigeria exclusively breastfeed their infants. This is lower than the 70% of African countries that have high rates of continued breastfeeding at one year.” – UNICEF

Save the Children International calls for increased investment to better protect, promote, and support breastfeeding especially during emergencies and for vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

ABUJA, NIGERIA: 1st AUGUST 2024:  While Nigeria and the global community commemorate the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week, Save the Children International joins the campaign to celebrate breastfeeding mothers in their diversity, through their breastfeeding journeys, while showcasing the ways families, societies, communities and health workers can support every breastfeeding mother. 

Evidence has shown that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life decreases the risk of malnutrition and death in infants. Promting adequate feeding for infants and young children through optimal breastfeeding is crucial. According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018, only 29 percent of mothers in Nigeria exclusively breastfeed their infants.

This World Breastfeeding Week (1st – 7th August 2024) with the theme ‘Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding Support for All,’ underscores the collective responsibility to embrace and support breastfeeding mothers through diverse and comprehensive measures and policies. The annual celebration aims to increase awareness of the importance of breastfeeding, share information on strategies and promote enabling environments that support women to breastfeed successfully.

This year’s celebration presents another opportunity for all stakeholders – governments, civil society organisations, health systems, workplaces, communities, and parents – to reinforce a collective commitment towards ensuring that all mothers are supported during breastfeeding, particularly those who are vulnerable or affected by crises and emergencies. 

This support includes implementing policies and programmes that ensure mothers have access to good nutrition. It also includes creating a breastfeeding-friendly healthcare system and investing in training healthcare workers. This ensures that healthcare workers, providers, and volunteers receive adequate capacity support to offer breastfeeding counselling and accurately inform caregivers about child nutrition.

Duncan Harvey, Country Director, Save the Children International Nigeria, said “Early initiation of breastfeeding promotes not only infant survival, but the recovery of the mother and establishment of successful breastfeeding. By working together, we can provide the necessary support for mothers and create an environment where breastfeeding is encouraged and facilitated, leading to healthier children and stronger societies. I call on all actors to support and champion optimal breastfeeding practices.”

“Investing in tailored breastfeeding support for vulnerable populations is crucial to closing the gap in breastfeeding rates and addressing social inequities. By involving local voices and experiences in the development of support programmes, we can foster culturally sensitive and effective strategies that promote better health outcomes for mothers and infants,” said Dr Ayan Seal, Head of Health and Nutrition, Save the Children International Nigeria,

At the national and state levels, the Government of Nigeria has initiated and is implementing policies and programmes towards addressing challenges related to Infant and Young Child Feeding practices and the Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Code. Some states have commenced the implementation of six-month paid maternity leave for working mothers in the civil service. However, many more states are yet to do the same. Breastfeeding can help level the playing field in our society, and it is crucial to ensure that everyone, particularly vulnerable groups, has access to breastfeeding support and opportunities.

Save the Children International calls on governments and agencies particularly those working in humanitarian and fragile contexts to better protect, promote and support breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices for mothers and children. We advocate for multi-level support for breastfeeding mothers to ensure everyone especially those breastfeeding in times of crises and emergencies have access to adequate support and opportunities. There is need to ensure adequate mechanisms are in place to enforce the BMS Code and ensure compliance by BMS companies. Nigeria should take urgent steps towards domesticating and implementing the BMS Code at subnational levels.

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About Save the Children

Established over 100 years ago, Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Nigeria and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. Save the Children delivers lasting results for millions of children, including those who are hardest to reach. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future that we share. Save the Children operates in over 120 countries worldwide and has been working in Nigeria since 2001.

For further information, please contact: Mogbonjubade Adesulure; Digital Media and Communication Specialist; Save the Children International Nigeria; Email: Mogbonjubade.Adesulure@savethechildren.org; Tele. +234 7069219642