As UN leads global efforts to promote breastfeeding, national laws defeat the purpose
As UN leads global efforts to promote breastfeeding, national laws defeat the purpose
First Post
Shreerupa Mitra-Jha
The World Breastfeeding Week observed last week focused primarily on generating awareness among mothers on the huge benefits of breastfeeding. However, global efforts to encourage breastfeeding have taken the hardest beating from national governments’ failure to tighten legislation against breast-milk substitutes.
Of 194 countries analysed in a UN report, 135 have in place some form of legal measure to crack down on baby food industry, while only 39 countries, including India, fully comply with the UN’s guidelines on laws regulating baby food marketing practices, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN children’s agency UNICEF and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN).