As part of activities marking the 2019 Breastfeeding Day worldwide every month of August, WHO and UNICEF have called on governments and all employers to adopt family-friendly policies that support breastfeeding.
The theme of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.”
A statement issued Monday by WHO stated that these policies include paid maternity leave for a minimum of 18 weeks, and paid paternity leave, plus access to a parent-friendly workplace to protect and support mothers’ ability to continue breastfeeding upon return to work by having access to breastfeeding breaks; a safe, private, and hygienic space for expressing and storing breast milk; and affordable childcare.
