WHO’s Call to Action: Investing in Breastfeeding Support for World Breastfeeding Week 2025

World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), launched World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) under the theme “Invest in breastfeeding, invest in the future.” This annual campaign, observed from August 1–7, emphasizes the critical role of breastfeeding in improving public health, strengthening economies, and ensuring the well-being of future generations. WHO’s call to action urges governments, health systems, employers, and communities to invest in robust breastfeeding support systems, including policies, funding, and infrastructure, to benefit mothers and babies worldwide. This article explores the significance of WHO’s recommendations, the health benefits of breastfeeding, and the actionable steps proposed to enhance breastfeeding rates globally, with a focus on India’s efforts to bridge gaps in maternal and infant care.

The Importance of Breastfeeding: Health and Economic Benefits

Breastfeeding is recognized as one of the most effective interventions for ensuring child health and survival. Breast milk is more than just nutrition—it acts as a baby’s first vaccine, providing antibodies that protect against common illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and infections, which are major causes of infant mortality. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

Benefits for Infants

• Nutritional Superiority: Breast milk contains the ideal balance of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals tailored to an infant’s developmental needs. Colostrum, the first milk produced, is rich in antibodies and nutrients, making it essential for newborns.

• Disease Prevention: Breastfed infants have lower risks of acute otitis media (ear infections), gastrointestinal infections, severe lower respiratory diseases, necrotizing enterocolitis (in preterm infants), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and type 1 diabetes. Globally, improving breastfeeding rates could save over 820,000 children’s lives annually.

• Cognitive Development: Breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests and are less likely to develop obesity or type 2 diabetes later in life.

Benefits for Mothers

• Health Protection: Breastfeeding reduces the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, breast and ovarian cancers, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. It also fosters emotional bonding, potentially reducing stress and postpartum depression.

• Economic Impact: By preventing maternal and child health issues, breastfeeding reduces healthcare costs. In the U.S., low breastfeeding rates add over $3 billion annually to medical expenses for mothers and infants.

Economic and Societal Gains

Investing in breastfeeding support yields significant economic returns. A 2017 UNICEF and WHO report estimated that an annual investment of $4.70 per newborn could generate $300 billion in global economic gains by 2025 through reduced healthcare costs and improved cognitive outcomes. In China, inadequate breastfeeding results in $66 billion in annual economic losses due to health and cognitive impacts.

World Breastfeeding Week 2025: A Call for Investment

The 2025 WBW theme, “Invest in breastfeeding, invest in the future,” highlights the need for sustained support systems to ensure mothers can breastfeed optimally. Despite global progress—exclusive breastfeeding rates for infants under six months have risen from 38% in 2013 to 48% in 2024—fewer than half of infants worldwide are exclusively breastfed, falling short of WHO’s target of 50% by 2025. WHO’s call to action focuses on five key areas to close this gap:

1. Integrate Breastfeeding into National Health Strategies: Governments should prioritize breastfeeding in health policies, with dedicated funding and legislation to monitor program impact. This includes implementing the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative to create supportive environments in maternity facilities.

2. Enforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: The WHO Code, established in 1981, aims to curb misleading marketing of formula milk. Stringent enforcement is needed to prevent commercial influence, including digital marketing, from undermining breastfeeding.

3. Strengthen Maternity Protections: Policies like paid maternity leave (at least 24 weeks), breastfeeding breaks, and access to affordable childcare are critical. In India, only seven states offer the recommended 24 weeks of paid maternity leave, limiting breastfeeding support for working mothers.

4. Enhance Breastfeeding Counseling: Skilled, compassionate counseling from pregnancy through early childhood is essential. Health workers need up-to-date training to provide evidence-based support, particularly during transitions like returning to work.

5. Improve Monitoring Systems: Only half of countries collect breastfeeding rate data, hindering policy effectiveness. Robust monitoring can track progress and ensure adequate financing for breastfeeding programs.

India’s Efforts and Challenges

In India, the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) has adopted the 2025 WBW theme “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” emphasizing maternity hospitals as key support hubs. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2021) shows that 88.6% of women give birth in hospitals, but only 41.6% initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, known as the “golden hour” for milk production and bonding.

Key Initiatives

• Mothers Absolute Affection (MAA) Program: Launched in 2016, this program trains healthcare workers to promote early breastfeeding and provide counseling in hospitals. It has increased early initiation rates in some states but faces gaps in rural areas.

• Maternity Benefit Act, 2017: Mandates 26 weeks of paid maternity leave for women in the formal sector, though implementation in the informal sector remains limited.

• BPNI Advocacy: BPNI pushes for stronger enforcement of the Infant Milk Substitutes (IMS) Act, India’s version of the WHO Code, to regulate formula marketing.

Challenges

• Low Early Initiation Rates: Despite hospital births, cultural practices like giving pre-lacteal feeds (e.g., water or honey) hinder early breastfeeding.

• Workplace Barriers: Limited access to breastfeeding breaks and lactation facilities for working mothers, especially in the informal sector, reduces exclusive breastfeeding rates.

• Rural Access: Inadequate healthcare infrastructure and trained counselors in rural areas limit support for mothers, particularly in states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

• Commercial Influence: Aggressive marketing of breast-milk substitutes undermines breastfeeding, with violations of the IMS Act often going unpunished.

Global Progress and Persistent Gaps

Globally, 23 countries, including Bolivia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, have achieved exclusive breastfeeding rates above 60%, demonstrating that supportive policies can yield results. However, no country fully meets WHO’s recommended standards for breastfeeding support, with gaps in funding, maternity protections, and monitoring systems. In Nigeria, UNICEF’s 2024 initiative saw 30,000 mothers breastfeeding simultaneously to raise awareness, but challenges like insufficient maternity leave and rural access persist.

Preterm and hospitalized infants face additional barriers, as medical limitations often prevent direct breastfeeding. Specialized support, such as milk expression guidance and fortification for preterm babies, is critical but underfunded. In the UK, the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative has increased hospital compliance with breastfeeding-friendly practices from 3.8% in 2010 to 28.9% in 2021, but broader community support remains limited.

Opportunities for Action

WHO’s recommendations offer a roadmap for stakeholders:

• Governments: Allocate dedicated budgets for breastfeeding programs, enforce the WHO Code, and extend maternity leave policies to the informal sector.

• Healthcare Systems: Train health workers and implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in hospitals.

• Employers: Provide lactation rooms, flexible breaks, and breastfeeding-friendly workplaces.

• Communities: Foster supportive environments through education and peer networks to reduce stigma and cultural barriers.

In India, events like SEMICON India 2025 (September 2–4) highlight the country’s push for self-reliance, which could extend to health initiatives by prioritizing local manufacturing of breastfeeding aids (e.g., breast pumps) and training programs.

Conclusion

World Breastfeeding Week 2025 underscores the urgent need to invest in health systems and policies that empower mothers and babies. WHO’s call to action highlights breastfeeding’s transformative potential to improve child and maternal health, reduce healthcare costs, and drive economic gains. While global breastfeeding rates have improved, persistent gaps in funding, policy enforcement, and access to counseling demand urgent attention. In India, initiatives like the MAA program and BPNI’s advocacy are steps forward, but challenges like rural access and commercial influences require sustained effort. By prioritizing breastfeeding support, governments and communities can secure a healthier, more equitable future for the next generation.