The World Breastfeeding Week in Tajikistan

August 1st, Dushanbe. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection with the support of UNICEF Tajikistan and World Health Organization (WHO) hosted the press-conference on the occasion of the #WorldBreastfeedingWeek start in Tajikistan. The theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week emphasizes the importance of support to parents from the immediate family, the extended family, the community, health workers and doctors and nurses and also the employers. 

The press-conference aimed at informing the representatives of the mass media in the country on the importance of breastfeeding and importance of multi-sectorial collaboration in developing family-friendly policies to support parents in Tajikistan. 

A child that receives nourishing food and attention and physical contact needed during the first 1000 golden days of her or his life, is more likely to grow up to be a healthy adult with brain that is fully developed with better cognitive and emotional capacity.  Children who receive attention at such early stage of life grow to be better learners in school and more productive in their work places as adults. This breaks the cycle of poverty and lays a strong foundation for a country’s development.   

UNICEF remains committed to work with the Government of Tajikistan, in close collaboration with WHO and other development partners, in creating an enabling environment for promoting early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months; and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age.