ISLAMABAD
\nCoordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordinator said that breastfeeding is a vital practice with profound health benefits for both infants and mothers. Because, it provides infants with essential nutrients, boosts their immune systems, and fosters an emotional bond between mother and child.
\n\u201cBreastfeeding supports healthy development, strengthens the mother-infant bond and yields positive economic and environmental impacts. However, promoting and supporting breastfeeding through education, policy and community support can lead to healthier individuals and a more sustainable future,\u201d Ms. Alam said while addressing as keynote speaker at a seminar \u2018National Advocacy & Sensitisationwith Parliamentarians on the World Breastfeeding Awareness Week\u2019 held here at a local hotel on Wednesday.
\nThe event was organized by Save the Children in collaboration with Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Ministry, WHO, Unicef, and World Food Programme. Highlighting climate change impacts on mothers\u2019 access to healthy nutrition, PM\u2019s Climate aide told the participants that Pakistan is on the frontline of climate change impacts, facing extreme weather events, water scarcity, and shifts in agricultural productivity.
\nThese challenges have a direct impact on food security and, by extension, on maternal and child nutrition, she added. The PM\u2019s Climate Aide, however, emphasized upon the need for hammering out policies and action plans to protect the breastfeeding women from exacerbating fallouts of climate change, particularly floods and heatwaves.
\n\u201cThis means promoting sustainable agricultural practices, ensuring that our food systems are resilient to climate shocks, and prioritizing nutrition in our climate adaptation strategies.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs climate change exacerbates poverty and food insecurity, the most vulnerable segments of our population\u2014women and children\u2014are at increased risk of malnutrition,\u201d she remarked. Romina Khurshid suggested, \u201cTo address this, we must integrate climate resilience into our national nutrition programmes and policies.\u201d<\/p>\n
By doing so, we can protect our children from the dual threats of malnutrition and climate change,\u201d she elaborated.
\nThe PM\u2019s aide Romina Khurshid Alam emphasised that breastfeeding lies at the heart of our nation\u2019s future\u2014empowering maternal, child, and adolescent nutrition in Pakistan. She remarked, \u201cAchieving adequate and health-boosting nutrition is not just a health challenge for mother and child during breastfeeding age, it is also a cornerstone for the development of our society, our economy, and our resilience to the growing challenges posed by climate change.
\n\u201d Romina Khurshid also highlighted that breastfeeding in Pakistan has long been recognised as a crucial practice for ensuring the health and survival of our children. Yet, despite these benefits, the practice of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life was not as widespread as it should be for different reasons,\u201d she observed.
\nRomina Khurshid Alam said the mother-child health policymakers, practitioners and children\u2019s rights activists should enhance their efforts to protect and promote this practice as healthy children are at the heart of healthy society. \u201cThis requires a collective effort from all sectors\u2014healthcare professionals, community leaders, policymakers, and media\u2014to create environments where mothers feel empowered to breastfeed,\u201d Ms. Alam underlined.
\nPromoting breastfeeding is not possible without dispelling myths, providing accurate information, and supporting mothers, especially in rural and underserved areas, where access to healthcare and information may be limited, PM\u2019s coordinator Romina Khurshid Alam cautioned.
\nShe said further that as we work towards empowering women and ensuring gender equality, it is vital to implement family-friendly policies that support working mothers.
\nThe PM\u2019s Coordinator suggested that Pakistan, where women play an essential role in both the economy and the home, policies such as paid maternity leave, flexible work hours, and access to quality childcare are crucial.
\nThese policies not only benefit mothers and their children but also contribute to a more productive and resilient workforce, she added. Highlighting governments efforts, Romina Khurshid said that the government has taken various steps towards this by enhancing maternity leave policies and encouraging workplaces to adopt more family-friendly practices.
\nHowever, \u201cthe government is also pushing for broader implementation, particularly in the private sector, and ensure that these policies are accessible to women in all parts of the country\u201d, she highlighted. Secretary of the Women\u2019s Parliamentary Caucus Dr. Shahida Rehmani said while addressing the event that of the most pressing challenges we face in protecting breastfeeding is the aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes.
\nIn Pakistan, this issue is particularly acute, with widespread marketing that often targets vulnerable mothers, leading them to believe that formula milk is a better option, she pointed out. The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes is a global standard designed to curb these practices, and Pakistan has committed to upholding it.
\nShe said that protecting breastfeeding is not just a matter of health; it is a matter of national responsibility. \u201cOur commitment to empowering maternal, child, and adolescent nutrition in Pakistan must be rooted in our cultural values, supported by robust policies, and reinforced by our efforts to combat climate change,\u201d Dr Shahida Rehmani suggested.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordinator said that breastfeeding is a vital practice with profound health benefits for both infants and mothers. Because, it provides infants with essential nutrients, boosts their immune systems, and fosters an emotional bond between mother and child. \u201cBreastfeeding supports healthy development, strengthens the mother-infant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":427691,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-427833","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n