Breastfeeding Advocacy Toolkit
A knowledge and tool base for breastfeeding advocates
The Breastfeeding Advocacy Toolkit is a comprehensive collection of advocacy tools and resources aimed at improving policies and financing for the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding. The Toolkit is intended for breastfeeding advocates and other stakeholders seeking information and tools to support the Collective’s seven policy actions.
The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative: Monitoring Manual
The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative: Monitoring Manual
The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative: Monitoring Manual is a set of strategies and example questionnaires to monitor adherence to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The manual complements the joint Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative Implementation Guidance, which highlights the need for effective data-management systems to ensure continuous quality improvement and adherence to the Ten Steps.The manual provides guidance on monitoring the implementation of the Ten Steps at three key levels:Internal monitoring: Conducted at the level of maternity care facilities to identify areas for improvement, track progress to date, and gather data and information for independent external monitoring entities.External monitoring: Carried out by an independent body to evaluate whether maternity care facilities are adhering to the Ten Steps for Successful Breastfeeding and plan corrective actions.National monitoring: Used to track the overall application of evidence-based practices that protect, promote and support optimal breastfeeding practices, used for programme planning and evaluation.The manual includes:Clear indicators for each level of monitoringRecommended data collection methods and toolsGuidance for data processing and analysisImplementation tips for sustainable monitoring systemsSample questionnaires and survey instrumentsIt supports the revised 2018 BFHI Implementation Guidance, which shifted focus from facility designation to a more integrated health systems approach for institutionalizing the Ten Steps. This manual helps countries strengthen accountability mechanisms and continuously improve the quality of breastfeeding support in maternity facilities.Key AudienceQuality improvement/quality assurance teams within maternity facilitiesRegional or administrative entities responsible for monitoring perinatal care qualityPolicy and decision-makers in national governments, including public health officials and program managers in ministries of healthKey FeaturesComprehensive indicators aligned with the Ten Steps to Successful BreastfeedingPractical tools including the Infant Feeding Patient Exit SurveyGuidance for integration with existing health information systemsStrategies for data collection, analysis and use for quality improvementOptions for monitoring that can be adapted to different resource settings
The model law for protection of breastfeeding in South Asia
The model law for protection of breastfeeding in South Asia
This tool, developed together with the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia, is designed to support all countries working to strengthen their national Code measures by assisting advocates and national authorities in finding appropriate legal language to correct weaknesses and loopholes in regulatory measures. The model law provides language to address promotion to the public, promotion through the healthcare system, donation of products, conflict of interest by health workers/their associations, health or nutrition claims, cross-promotion, and the use of appropriate messages in the promotion of complementary foods. It is the first Code model law that contains specific provisions for regulating digital marketing, to align with the 2023 WHO Guidance on restricting digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes. It also includes 6 essential steps to take before drafting to ensure measures are impactful and legally defensible.
2025 Nutrition For Growth Summit
2025 Nutrition For Growth Summit
Building on the $27 billion pledged at the Tokyo N4G 2021, the N4G Summit in Paris presents an unparalleled opportunity to renew commitments and accelerate action toward achieving the new global target of a 60% exclusive breastfeeding rate by 2030. This document outlines four SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) breastfeeding commitments, providing a clear framework for advancing progress toward this target. Each commitment includes a QR code linking directly to relevant resources in the Global Breastfeeding Collective Toolkit. Together, these four SMART commitments offer governments, donors, civil society organizations, and the private sector a comprehensive roadmap to meeting the global breastfeeding target by 2030.
Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Assessment Guide
Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Assessment Guide
This guide provides a standardized methodology for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data on IYCF in emergencies. Designed for use in humanitarian and fragile environments, it offers a step-by-step approach to support responders in understanding the needs of infants and young children and their caregivers. The guide:
Talking Points for Advocacy Discussions on Digital Marketing
Talking Points for Advocacy Discussions on Digital Marketing
Be prepared to advocate effectively for a comprehensive legal ban on digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes. This very brief document provides essential facts and powerful key messages to aid your discussions. Designed for brevity and clarity, this document can be downloaded, printed, shared with others, and carried with you so you’re prepared when you have the opportunity to discuss this critical issue.Â
Exclusive breastfeeding: Celebrating successes and accelerating progress by 2030
Exclusive breastfeeding: Celebrating successes and accelerating progress by 2030
This webinar, held on 20 November 2024 and hosted by WHO, UNICEF, and SUN Movement, celebrates progress toward meeting the 2025 Global Nutrition Target for exclusive breastfeeding while outlining actions needed to accelerate progress toward meeting related 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The webinar: Highlights current progress and barriers…, Author(s), WHO, UNICEF, and SUN Movement, Publication date, 20 November 2024, Languages, Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian
Regulating Digital Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes
Regulating Digital Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes
Digital marketing has become the dominant form of promoting formula throughout the world, yet fewer than 20% of countries explicitly prohibit promotion of breast-milk substitutes on digital platforms such as social media and websites. This brief outlines 10 key guidance recommendations from WHO, designed to support Member States in: Applying the Code’s provisions effectively in digital environmentsStrengthening monitoring and enforcement, including addressing cross-border marketing challengesApplying regulatory measures to restrict digital marketing of products that fall within the scope of the Code, as well as to foods for infants and young children that are not breastmilk substitutesIt also features a four-point Call to Action on digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes, providing actionable steps for government leaders, policy makers, and parliaments.Â
Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula
Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula
This brief offers suggestions as to how a healthcare association can fund educational programmes, congresses, conferences, and other meetings without sponsorship by companies that market foods for infants and young children. Innovative ideas are offered both for reducing costs without compromising quality or attendance, and for generating other revenue sources.
Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula
Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula
This brief describes how six Health Care Professional Associations (HCPAs) in different countries and years successfully ended sponsorship of HCPA events by companies that market foods for infants and young children. Each country’s story is presented in an easy-to-read Q&A format and offers rich insight for those seeking to implement the WHO recommendation that companies that market foods for infants and young children should not sponsor meetings of health professionals or scientific meetings.Â
Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula
Sponsorship of health professional associations by manufacturers and distributors of commercial milk formula
This document provides a model policy that healthcare professional associations may use to support implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that companies that market foods for infants and young children should not sponsor meetings of health professionals and scientific meetings, and that health workers, health systems, health professional associations, and nongovernmental organizations not allow such companies to sponsor meetings of health professionals and scientific meetings.The model policy includes key, essential elements to create a strong policy; associations can add to the policy to adapt it to their own scope and activities.
Countering Industry Arguments Against Code Implementation: Evidence and Rights-Based Responses
Countering Industry Arguments Against Code Implementation: Evidence and Rights-Based Responses
This resource for policymakers and breastfeeding advocates presents the 36 most common arguments the baby food industry uses to oppose Code legislation, alongside responses and counter-arguments based in scientific evidence and international human rights law.When countries begin to implement Code legislation, baby food industry actors fight back with a predictable set of arguments. These misleading claims — presented as valid concerns, even though they lack legal merit — can delay Code implementation and put protections for families and babies on hold while policymakers work to understand and track down the facts.This easy-to-navigate document allows you to click on exactly the argument you want to research or understand and find a response clearly documented with the relevant scientific evidence and human rights implications. With this comprehensive resource, policymakers and advocates will be well-equipped to facilitate Code implementation and effectively counter industry opposition.
Make Every Voice Count: How Monitoring Breastfeeding Programs and Policies Supports Mothers
Make Every Voice Count: How Monitoring Breastfeeding Programs and Policies Supports Mothers
Voices of Mothers Hero Image Behind every statistic about breastfeeding is a mother trying to reach her infant feeding goals. This video highlights the connections between monitoring breastfeeding programs and policies and the experiences of mothers. This video was created as a part of the “Strength In Numbers” presentation of the Global…