On 19 December 2025, the international online workshop “Infant Feeding in Emergencies: Strengthening Baby-Friendly Communities for Resilience and Preparedness” was held within the framework of the Joint Action PreventNCD, Task 6.5 Baby-Friendly Communities and Health Services.
The workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on infant and young child feeding in emergencies as a public health priority and as a core component of health system resilience and long-term prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Workshop contributions: international field experiences, operational tools and good practices
Discussions highlighted that protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding and appropriate infant and young child feeding are life-saving interventions in emergency settings, particularly when access to health services, safe water and adequate food is disrupted. Feeding practices in the early years of life were also recognised as having long-term effects across the life course, influencing future health and NCD risk.
Within the Joint Action PreventNCD, Task 6.5 promotes the implementation of Baby-Friendly Communities and Health Services as a structural approach to improving breastfeeding rates and strengthening emergency preparedness, by integrating infant feeding into routine services and community-based interventions.
Contributions from World Health Organization (WHO) Europe and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) framed infant and young child feeding in emergencies as a public health priority across the life course, underlining the importance of structural preparedness policies and the full implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, particularly in emergency contexts.
The workshop also presented operational experiences from different international settings, offering concrete examples of how infant feeding can be integrated into emergency preparedness and response:
- From the Caribbean region, the role of supporting countries affected by recurrent climate-related emergencies was highlighted, particularly with regard to breastfeeding support and the appropriate management of breast-milk substitutes during hurricanes.
- From Italy, the integration of infant and young child feeding into municipal Civil Protection emergency plans was presented, alongside training and simulation activities involving local authorities and volunteer personnel.
- From Gaza, a humanitarian response in a context of armed conflict was described, based on integrated breastfeeding support interventions and strict management of breast-milk substitutes.
- From Australia, experiences following the 2019–2020 bushfires illustrated how dedicated tools and resources for families and professionals contributed to strengthening national preparedness.
- From Ukraine, innovative digital tools and artificial intelligence–based solutions were presented to ensure continuity of information, counselling and support for mothers in a context of armed conflict and limited access to services.
In conclusion, the workshop confirmed that investing in infant feeding in emergencies should be considered a structural component of building healthy, resilient and equitable communities, rather than an extraordinary or temporary response.
You can watch the recording of the webinar in our resources section.
This article was written by the coordination team working on Baby-Friendly Community and Health Services (Task 6.5) of the Joint Action PreventNCD.
- From Italy: Angela Giusti, Francesca Zambri, Vincenza Di Stefano, Annachiara Di Nolfi, Flavia Splendore from the Italian National Institute of Health.
- From Norway: Anne Bergljot Bærug, Ann-Magrit Lona, Hanne Christine Mosand Bliksås – Norwegian Directorate of Health.
Useful resources
Download the Operational Guidance:
- English version: Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group. Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies. Operational Guidance for Emergency Relief Staff and Programme Managers. Version 3.0. 2017 (PDF, 836 KB)
- Italian version: Infant Feeding in Emergencies Core Group. L’alimentazione dei lattanti e dei bambini piccoli nelle emergenze. Guida Operativa per il personale di primo soccorso e per i responsabili dei programmi nelle emergenze. Italian edition. 2017 (PDF, 1.7 MB)
