Turkmenistan marks World Breastfeeding Week with national roundtable on stronger support for mothers and children
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Ashgabat, 5 August 2026 – The Charity Fund for Providing Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, Women’s Union of Turkmenistan and UNICEF jointly convened a National Roundtable on Strengthening Support Systems for Exclusive Breastfeeding today at Yyldyz Hotel. The event was organized as part of the joint campaign to promote exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life and to strengthen the systems that support mothers, families and young children across Turkmenistan.
The roundtable brought together national partners and stakeholders, including the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, the Union of Industrialists and entrepreneurs, academia and civil society organization, as well as United Nations agencies, development partners and media representatives. The event provided a platform to advance joint advocacy for breastfeeding and strengthen cooperation across sectors in support of mothers and young children.
The event was held during the World Breastfeeding Week 2026, marked globally under the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.” The theme highlights the importance of scaling up proven approaches, including skilled breastfeeding counselling, strong health systems, community-based support, maternity protection, workplace support and effective implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
In Turkmenistan, the joint campaign on exclusive breastfeeding, launched in June 2026 by the Charity Fund and UNICEF, aims to improve access to reliable information, expand counselling services, engage families and communities, and promote breastfeeding-friendly policies and workplaces.
Opening the roundtable, partners emphasized that breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to support child survival, health and development. Breast milk provides children with essential nutrition, strengthens immunity, helps protect against illness and supports healthy growth and brain development. It also brings important benefits for mothers and families, including improved health outcomes and reduced health-related costs.
“I fully agree and support that “intention is not enough”. Our joint and concrete actions are needed because exclusive breastfeeding is indeed an investment into the bright future of children”
- said Ms. Oguljahan Atabayeva, Vice President for Medical Activities of the Charity Fund for Providing Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
“Supporting breastfeeding is a shared responsibility. Mothers need accurate information, timely counselling, supportive families, responsive health services, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and protective policies. UNICEF remains committed to working with national partners to ensure that every mother receives the support she needs and every child has the healthiest possible start in life,”
said Jalpa Ratna, UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan.
As next steps, the Charity Fund and UNICEF, together with national partners, will continue community engagement activities and strengthen outreach with the business community and entrepreneurs to promote breastfeeding-friendly environments. The roundtable reaffirmed that lasting progress requires coordinated action across health services, families, communities, workplaces, media and policy institutions, with national leadership and partnership at the centre of efforts to give every child the best start in life.
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