The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global network of individuals and organisations who are concerned with the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. La Leche League International is one of the core partners of WABA.
WABA has issued a statement for International Women’s Day 2018 which emphasises the difference scaling up breastfeeding could make to the health of both children and women.
They also explain how breastfeeding is significant to the economic empowerment of families, as well as to the economy globally.
WABA strives to empower mothers by providing consistent information and support during the 1000 days from the beginning of pregnancy to the child’s second birthday, as this has been shown to increase the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding.
The protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding is a collective social responsibility, not just the responsibility of women.
“Time is Now: Rural and urban activist transforming women’s lives”
The theme for International Woman’s Day 2018 is “Time is now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives” and WABA has been looking at how breastfeeding activists around the world are making a difference.
In India both mothers and their carers are being empowered by knowledge; in the Middle East breastfeeding is being promoted for premature babies; in Zimbabwe pregnant teenagers and young women are being taught about breastfeeding, and in Vietnam men are being shown how they can support breastfeeding.
WABA has a vision of “a world where women are supported in all ways to freely exercise their right to breastfeed”.
You can read WABA’s statement in full here:
http://waba.org.my/waba-statement-for-international-womens-day-2018/#1