Global
Strategy for Infant and Young Child
Feeding :World
Health Assembly (WHA) and UNICEF adopted
the Global Strategy,which
sets five additional targets: national
policy on infant and young child feeding,
community outreach, information support,
infant feeding in difficult circumstances
and monitoring and evaluation.
Infants and young children are among the most vulnerable groups in emergencies. Interruption of breastfeeding and inappropriate complementary feeding increase the risks ofmalnutrition, illness and mortality. In emergency and relief situations the responsibility for protecting, promoting and supporting beneficial optimal infant and young child feeding practices and minimising harmful practices should be shared by the emergency-affected host country and responding agencies. Concise guidance on how to facilitate appropriate feeding in emergency situations and comply with international emergency standards has been developed by interagency expert working groups. Practical details on how to implement the guidance are included in companion training materials, also developed through interagency collaboration.
Activity and Results
Supporting Documents
How to protect, promote and support breastfeeding
in emergencies:
Emphasize
that breastmilk is best.
Actively
support women to breastfeed.
Avoid
inappropriate distribution
of breastmilk substitutes.
When
necessary, use infant formula
if available.
Do
not distribute feeding bottles/teats;
promote cup feeding.
Do
not distribute dried skim
milk unless mixed with cereal.
Add
complementary foods to breastfeeding
at 6 months.
Avoid
commercial complementary foods.
Include
pregnant and lactating women
in supplementary feeding when
general ration is insufficient.
Documents on Infant and
young child feeding in emergencies.
