As the world marks World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August 2026), the theme is “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works”. UNICEF and WHO are calling on all stakeholders — governments, healthcare providers, and communities — to build on proven interventions that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. The campaign highlights the life-saving benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies: it boosts infant survival, supports healthy brain development, strengthens the microbiome, provides optimal nutrition, and protects against infectious diseases. It also lowers children’s lifetime risk of obesity, asthma, and heart disease, while reducing mothers’ risk of breast and ovarian cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. The focus this year is on reinforcing and expanding initiatives that successfully address barriers to breastfeeding, ensuring every mother and baby has the best possible start.
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