We can be proud of the region’s leadership, which reflects several of its “flagship priorities”, including ending preventable newborn and child deaths and preventing non-communicable diseases. We should also look at how the region’s leadership can be sustained and accelerated, and at the innovative policies that can make that happen.

The benefits of breastfeeding are, after all, substantial, with WHO recommending each newborn be breastfed within the first hour of life, that they be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and that they be breastfed while taking appropriate complementary food for at least 18 months thereafter.

For newborns, breastfeeding strengthens the immune system and protects against chronic and infectious diseases. It also enhances sensory and cognitive development and helps prevent malnutrition — including obesity — throughout the life-course.

For mothers, breastfeeding helps space children and increases health and well-being by reducing the risk of ovarian cancer and breast cancer among other benefits. For communities and countries, breastfeeding is a sustainable way to increase family and national resources. Inadequate breastfeeding is estimated to cost the global economy around US$302 billion annually.

As natural as breastfeeding is, however, and as strong as the evidence may be for its increased uptake, it is a learned behavior. As such, it requires active support to establish and sustain. Crucially, that support should apply to both parents, with an inclusive approach needed to ensure all families are empowered and enabled to give their newborns the best start possible. WHO is committed to supporting member states do precisely that, including by focusing on three key areas of action.

First, member states should augment the commendable work already being done to protect and support breastfeeding. That means increasing awareness and knowledge beyond mothers and sensitizing fathers, families and communities on the importance of breastfeeding and the need to actively support it. It also means enhancing the efficiency of breastfeeding counseling in pre-conception and antenatal programmes, and strengthening baby-friendly practices in maternity care facilities using WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s new joint guidance and program tools. As part of this, increasing the number, skills and capacity of health workers is vital.

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