2023-08-04 23:29:44
The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) warned this Friday that in Latin America and the Caribbean only 4 out of 10 babies under six months, or 43% of the total, are exclusively breastfed, and urged Governments and companies to guarantee breastfeeding in the workplace.
In addition, as revealed by Unicef in a statement, only 48% of boys and girls between 12 and 23 months of age receive breastfeeding in the region, compared to the world average of 65%.
“Unfortunately, in Latin America and the Caribbean, the majority of babies under six months of age are not exclusively breastfed,” said UNICEF’s regional director, Garry Conille, who lamented that because of this they will not be able to “prevent malnutrition in all its forms, as well as promoting the well-being of children.
“Continuing on this path, we will not reach the goal of the sustainable development goals that aim to achieve 70% exclusive breastfeeding by 2030,” he stressed.
For Unicef, there are several causes that hinder this practice in the region, one of them being the difficulty of making breastfeeding and working life compatible.
It also identifies that support and care policies for families in the region do not provide the necessary support for lactating mothers.
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Breastfeeding, maternity and challenges
A Unicef study indicates that only 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean guarantee the minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave recommended by the International Labor Organization (ILO), and only six countries reach 18 weeks.
It also reveals that the challenges for mothers to breastfeed their babies are also evident in the private sector.
Thus, a survey carried out by Unicef and Deloitte, addressed to 305 companies in the region, on average, shows that employers offer 13 weeks of paid maternity leave to full-time workers.
Regarding paternity leave, this analysis reveals that large companies guarantee an average of 11 days, while small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) grant around 9 days.
68% of large companies have lactation rooms for use by nursing mothers, while of the SMEs consulted only 29 percent have facilities of this type.
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In addition to its importance for health, UNICEF believes that breastfeeding has a significant economic impact, citing estimates that “for every dollar invested in promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding, US$35 is generated in long-term economic benefits.
This “smart investment”, according to UNICEF, would reduce the economic burden on health systems by reducing childhood diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
“Breastfeeding is key to the health and development of children and mothers,” said Conille.
In this regard, and on the occasion of World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF reiterated its call for governments, public institutions and the private sector to guarantee, among other things, a supportive environment for breastfeeding for all mothers with paid work, including those in the informal sector or with temporary contracts.
According to Unicef, these are “urgent issues” to ensure that women can breastfeed for as long as they want to, since “more than 500 million working women lack basic maternity provisions; many more find themselves without support when they return to work.”
Source: EFE
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