World Breastfeeding Week Highlights Progress in Mozambique

Mozambique marked World Breastfeeding Week 2026 with a national event at Maputo Central Hospital on 6 August, attended by First Lady Gueta Chapo, UNICEF Representative Mary Louise Eagleton, government officials, development partners, health workers and mothers.

Under this year’s theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,” the event highlighted the important progress Mozambique has made in promoting exclusive breastfeeding, while calling for continued investment and stronger support for mothers.

Around 56 per cent of children under six months in Mozambique are now exclusively breastfed, surpassing the 50 per cent target set for 2025 and bringing the country closer to the global target of at least 60 per cent by 2030.

Speaking on behalf of development partners, Mary Louise highlighted breastfeeding as one of the most effective and affordable ways to protect child survival, nutrition and development.

“Breastfeeding is the first vaccine, the first food and the first investment in human capital,” she said.

The First Lady emphasized that promoting breastfeeding is a collective responsibility. Successful breastfeeding requires support from families, health workers, communities, employers and government, alongside policies and services that give mothers the time, information and conditions they need.

UNICEF and development partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Government of Mozambique to strengthen maternal and newborn care, expand quality infant feeding counselling, protect breastfeeding in emergencies and promote supportive environments for mothers.

Building on approaches that are already delivering results will be critical to ensuring that more children in Mozambique receive the healthiest possible start in life.