PAHO/WHO recommends greater investment and political commitment to breastfeeding as a means to promote the health and development of children. Research suggests that breastfeeding may contribute to aspects of sustainable development and, moreover, children who were breastfed are healthier and learn better.
“Breastfeeding gives children the best start in life, since breast milk provides immune protection and nutrients essential for brain development. These benefits extend to all children, whether born in high or low-income countries to rich or poor families, “said Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of PAHO/WHO, “it is in the interest of all – babies, mothers and the whole society- to promote breastfeeding”.
This year’s theme of the World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated every year during the first week of August, is “Breastfeeding: The Key to Sustainable Development”. The campaign highlights the contribution of breastfeeding to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved by the United Nations in September 2015 as a global agenda for action to end poverty, combat inequities and tackle climate change by 2030.
Scientific and Technical Literature
BIREME/PAHO/WHO provides documents from the Virtual Health Library (VHL) on the themes of World Breastfeeding Week 2016.
Links of interest
Infographic – Breastfeeding rates in the Americas
PAHO – World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week initiative
