World Breastfeeding Week2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
WHO-supported; World Health Assembly endorsement in 2018
About World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week is observed from 1 to 7 August as a global campaign to raise awareness and support action related to breastfeeding.
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) started the campaign in 1992. The week commemorates the 1990 Innocenti Declaration and is coordinated by WABA with WHO, UNICEF and partners.
Why World Breastfeeding Week matters
Breastfeeding decisions can involve medical, practical, cultural, workplace and personal circumstances. Awareness activity should support informed care without shaming parents who cannot or do not breastfeed.
Public materials should distinguish population-level recommendations from individualized clinical advice and should direct families with feeding concerns to qualified health professionals.
History of World Breastfeeding Week
The 1990 Innocenti Declaration emerged from a WHO/UNICEF policymakers’ meeting in Florence from 30 July to 1 August 1990.
WABA states that World Breastfeeding Week started in 1992 and is celebrated annually from 1 to 7 August in commemoration of the Innocenti Declaration.
In 2018, World Health Assembly Resolution WHA71.9 welcomed the annual celebration of World Breastfeeding Week as an opportunity to communicate the importance of breastfeeding and advocate for protection, promotion and support.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
1990 Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding
The declaration and its August 1990 meeting became the historical framework commemorated by World Breastfeeding Week when WABA launched the campaign in 1992.
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)
WABA states that World Breastfeeding Week started in 1992 and WHO describes it as launched by WABA.
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)
WABA is the organization that launched and continues to coordinate the campaign.
First documented observance
WABA states that World Breastfeeding Week started in 1992 and is celebrated 1–7 August.
Welcomed the annual celebration of World Breastfeeding Week as an opportunity to communicate the importance of breastfeeding and advocate for its protection, promotion and support.
World Health Assembly · WHA71.9 — Infant and young child feeding
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), with WHO and UNICEF
WABA identifies itself as coordinator, while WHO materials describe collaboration with WABA and UNICEF.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe World Breastfeeding Week
Share evidence-based infant-feeding information from WHO, UNICEF or qualified national health authorities.
Support workplace and community conditions that help parents access feeding support and parental protections.
Include lactation professionals, maternal-health workers and parents in discussions while respecting privacy and individual circumstances.
Avoid stigmatizing parents based on feeding method or implying that campaign guidance replaces individualized clinical care.
Direct feeding, growth or medical concerns to qualified health professionals.
World Breastfeeding Week Facts
World Breastfeeding Week runs from 1 to 7 August.
WABA states that the campaign began in 1992.
The week commemorates the 1990 Innocenti Declaration.
WHA71.9 in 2018 welcomed the annual celebration as an important opportunity for breastfeeding promotion.
World Breastfeeding Week Messages
Today, may World Breastfeeding Week turn attention into informed action, empathy and support that lasts beyond a single day.
On World Breastfeeding Week, may awareness be matched by compassion, reliable information and practical support for people directly affected.
World Breastfeeding Week is a reminder to listen without stigma, share trustworthy information and treat every person with dignity.
On World Breastfeeding Week, advocate for informed infant-feeding support and respectful choices for families.
Marking World Breastfeeding Week with care means learning from credible sources and making space for the voices and experiences of people most affected.
World Breastfeeding Week Quotes
“Breastfeeding is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect a child’s health.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Health Information Not Medical Advice.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
World Health Organization — WHA71.9, Infant and young child feeding (opens in a new tab)
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action — World Breastfeeding Week (opens in a new tab)
World Health Organization — World Breastfeeding Week (opens in a new tab)
WHO — World Breastfeeding Week (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
WABA — 1990 Innocenti Declaration (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Breastfeeding Week?
1–7 August The documented recurrence rule is: 1–7 August.
Does World Breastfeeding Week fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is World Breastfeeding Week an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: WHO-supported global health observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Breastfeeding Week?
The reviewed sources identify World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), with WHO and UNICEF.
Is World Breastfeeding Week international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: WHO-supported global health observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
When is World Breastfeeding Week?
It is observed every year from 1 to 7 August.
When did World Breastfeeding Week begin?
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action states that the campaign started in 1992.
Why is it held in the first week of August?
The campaign commemorates the Innocenti Declaration, adopted at a WHO/UNICEF policymakers’ meeting held from 30 July to 1 August 1990.