SEATINI Uganda, CEFROHT and Other Stakeholders Call Upon Government to Strengthen Regulations that Guide Breast-Feeding Practices:

The Government of Uganda has been urged to strengthen regulations that guide breast feeding practices at workplaces as an enabler of adequate living. This call to the government was made during the press conference organized by the Center for Health and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) in partnership with SEATINI Uganda and other stakeholders as part of the efforts to commemorate World Breast-Feeding Week (WBW) 2022. The press conference was held on Wednesday, 3rd August 2022.

Breastfeeding is key to sustainable development strategies post-pandemic, as it improves nutrition, ensures food security. Breast feeding is among the most effective ways to protect maternal and child health and promote healthy growth and optimal development in early childhood.

The array of circumstances that need to be in place inorder for a mother to be able to successfully breast feed her child are vast, and require a diverse supporting cast and system. This year’s WBW is focusing on strengthening the capacity of actors that have to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across different levels of society. These actors make up the warm chain of support for breastfeeding.

While speaking during the press conference, Mr Herbert Kafeero, the Programs and Communications Manager at SEATINI Uganda noted that generally, exclusive breast-feeding remains very low especially among educated women. This is partly due to lack of a supportive environment for mothers to exclusively breast feed their children. He cited the aggressive and inappropriate marketing for breast milk substitutes with false claims that are geared towards enticing women to buy the substitutes.

‘‘It is time to regulate corporate profits over child health,’’ Herbert Kafeero said.

According to Mr Kabanda David, the Executive Director at CEFROHT filed a Constitutional Petition to highlight the gaps in the legal system and the inconsistences with the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. CEFROHT is challenging government’s inaction to regulate workplaces and breast-feeding.

During the press conference, CSOs emphasized that breast feeding should be supported, promoted and protected and should be done within the law.