This recording features the international online workshop “Infant Feeding in Emergencies: Strengthening Baby-Friendly Communities for Resilience and Preparedness”, held on 19 December 2025 (12:00–14:30 CET) as part of JA PreventNCD – Work Package 6 (Healthy Living Environments) and the task on Baby-Friendly Community & Health Services (BFC&HS).
Emergencies and crises can place major strain on infant and young child feeding practices, making preparedness and coordinated response essential to protect maternal and child health. The workshop explores how countries and communities can strengthen resilience and preparedness for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E), with a strong focus on Baby-Friendly approaches that help safeguard nutritional standards in times of disruption.
Following an opening introduction by the task coordinators, the session includes greetings from WHO/Europe and PAHO, highlighting the global relevance of IYCF-E and the importance of international collaboration. Speakers from the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) share experiences and emerging challenges related to IYCF-E, including how systems can respond effectively under rapidly changing emergency conditions.
The workshop also features contributions from the IFE Core Group, including reflections on the Operational Guidance on IYCF-E, as well as a set of global case studies that provide practical lessons from real-world contexts. These case studies address IYCF-E support in complex humanitarian settings and natural disasters, including examples from Gaza, Australia, and Ukraine, where the session highlights approaches to strengthening support for mothers and families in conflict-affected environments.
In addition, participants receive an update on the development of the WHO Policy Brief on IYCF-E, prepared in collaboration with the Italian WHO Collaborating Centre on Breastfeeding Promotion and Childhood Obesity Prevention. The session concludes with Q&A and key takeaways for strengthening preparedness, response capacity, and community-level support through Baby-Friendly initiatives.
This workshop was free and open to all, and is relevant for public health professionals, policymakers, emergency preparedness stakeholders, healthcare providers, and community actors working to protect maternal, infant, and young child health in emergency settings.