The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) highlights an all-of-society approach to building sustainable breastfeeding support systems from conception to two years and beyond. The framework integrates support across policy, health systems, workplaces, and communities, anchored in continuity, inclusivity, and evidence-based practices.
Core components include policy implementation and monitoring, health system integration, workplace and social protection, social norms promotion, community-based support, and environmental sustainability. Actions involve expanding maternity/paternity leave, embedding breastfeeding support in healthcare, promoting public awareness, and linking breastfeeding to climate goals.
The document features case studies from countries like China, Argentina, India, Kuwait, Japan, Honduras, Malaysia, Peru, Sweden, UAE, New Zealand, and Nigeria, illustrating diverse approaches—digital monitoring, milk banking, peer support networks, legal frameworks, and environmental advocacy.
It concludes that sustainable breastfeeding systems safeguard health, protect the environment, and uphold women’s and children’s rights, making breastfeeding a pillar of sustainable development.