The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stressed the need for strengthened government and community support to safeguard the well-being of nursing mothers facing severe challenges due to conflict and displacement.
The international organisation emphasised that infants born in displacement settings must not be deprived of their fundamental right to proper nutrition and care.
While advocating for urgent psychological, nutritional, and social protection interventions, UNICEF insisted that comprehensive measures must be implemented to ensure breastfeeding practices are sustained even in crisis conditions.
According to UNICEF’s Social Policy Manager, Muhammad Okorie, who spoke during the commemoration of World Breastfeeding Week, breast milk plays a critical role in providing infants with adequate nutrients and hydration. He dismissed misconceptions that suggest the need for supplementary water or substitutes.
Calling for intensified advocacy for exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a child’s life, Okorie urged mothers and families to prioritise it over formula feeding. He also called on the government to adopt policies that facilitate breastfeeding, including six-month paid maternity leave — a measure already implemented in 10 states.
He said, “Know that people within the IDP camps are still human beings who should live, even within the IDP camps, with dignity — and that includes their welfare being taken care of. Already, they have been traumatised from the issues of displacement, so other areas such as clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and all of those need to be factored in.
“We should also take note that babies are being born in those IDP camps, and it doesn’t matter where the baby is born — the same rights of the child need to be fulfilled because those are rights and not privileges.
“And not even the location or the circumstances of their birth should deny them that. So, there should be a concerted effort from government and partners to ensure that the well-being of mothers and babies in IDP camps is fully taken care of.”
Okorie also emphasised the need for stricter regulations on the advertising of breast milk substitutes, which he said often mislead mothers into abandoning exclusive breastfeeding.
He noted that Nigeria is lagging behind in global breastfeeding benchmarks.
He said, “As per the NDHIS 2023–2024, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria is about 29%. That means only one in every three children is exclusively breastfed. That is far behind the national target of 65% by 2025.
“Nigeria is currently lagging, unlike other countries of the world that have reached 90% and above. Another key indicator for breastfeeding is early initiation — introducing the baby to breast milk within the first hour. In that case too, Nigeria hasn’t done very well, as the indicator currently stands at about 36%.
“So, statistically, we still have a long way to go. We see that efforts are ongoing by all stakeholders to ensure progress, but that again underscores the reason for World Breastfeeding Week — to create an opportunity for all to rededicate and recommit to this cause, support and prioritise breastfeeding, and build sustainable structures.”
