World Breastfeeding Week Information, Date, History and Theme

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is an annual celebration which is being held every year from 01 to 07 August in more than 120 countries as well as in India. According to the 26 August data of WBW website, 540 events have been held worldwide by more than 79 countries with 488 organizations and 406,620 participants for the World Breastfeeding Week 2010. See WBW pledges for the complete list.

Being organized by WABA, WHO and UNICEF, WBW came up with the goal to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life which yields many health benefits, providing critical nutrients, protection from deadly diseases such as pneumonia and fostering growth and development for the first time in 1991.

Like the preceding years, this year too, World Breastfeeding Week 2024 will be celebrated from 1st of August to 7th of August.

The campaigns will encourage breastfeeding of babies as an essential activity for better health of babies and the mothers as well.

World Breastfeeding Week: History, Promotion

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organizations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

This year, WHO is working with UNICEF and partners to promote the importance of family-friendly policies to enable breastfeeding and help parents nurture and bond with their children in early life, when it matters most. This includes enacting paid maternity leave for a minimum of 18 weeks, and paid paternity leave to encourage shared responsibility of caring for their children on an equal basis. Mothers also need access to a parent friendly workplace to protect and support their ability to continue breastfeeding upon return to work by having access to breastfeeding breaks; a safe, private, and hygienic space for expressing and storing breastmilk; and affordable childcare.

Breastfeeding promotes better health for mothers and children alike. Increasing breastfeeding to near-universal levels could save more than 800 000 lives every year, the majority being children under 6 months. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of mothers developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It is estimated that increased breastfeeding could avert 20 000 maternal deaths each year due to breast cancer.

WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is 6 months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or beyond.

Theme:

• 1992: Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)
• 1993: Mother-Friendly Workplace Initiative (MFWI)
• 1994: Protect Breastfeeding: Making the Code Work
• 1995: Breastfeeding: Empowering Women
• 1996: Breastfeeding: A Community Responsibility
• 1997: Breastfeeding: Nature’s Way
• 1998: Breastfeeding: The Best Investment
• 1999: Breastfeeding: Education for Life
• 2000: Breastfeeding: It’s Your Right
• 2001: Breastfeeding in the Information Age
• 2002: Breastfeeding: Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies
• 2003: Breastfeeding in a Globalized World for Peace and Justice
• 2004: Exclusive Breastfeeding: the Gold Standard – Safe, Sound, Sustainable
• 2005: Breastfeeding and Family Foods: Loving & Healthy – Feeding Other Foods While Breastfeeding is Continued
• 2006: Code Watch – 25 Years of Protecting Breastfeeding
• 2007: Breastfeeding: The 1st Hour – Save ONE million babies!
• 2008: Mother Support: Going for the Gold Everyone Wins!
• 2009: Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response
• 2010: Breastfeeding, Just 10 Steps! – The baby friendly way
• 2011: Talk To Me! Breastfeeding – A 3D Experience
• 2012: Understanding the Past, Planning for the Future
• 2013: Breastfeeding Support: Close To Mothers
• 2014: Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal – For Life!
• 2015: Breastfeeding and Work – Let’s Make it Work!
• 2016: a key to Sustainable Development
• 2017: Sustaining Breastfeeding Together
• 2018: Foundation of Life
• 2019: Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding
• 2020: Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet
• 2021: Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility​
• 2022: Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support
• 2023: Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!
• 2024: Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all

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