Sri Lanka has been ranked among the highest in the world for breastfeeding indicators and has made history as the first country to be awarded ‘Green Status’ by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) a global benchmark recognizing excellence in national breastfeeding support.
In a move to sustain and build on this achievement, the Cabinet of Ministers, at its meeting held on October 16, 2018, approved the introduction of legal provisions to promote breastfeeding through a dedicated Act of Parliament.
The key objectives of the proposed legislation are:
- To protect children from the unethical and harmful influence of the milk powder industry, particularly its commercial exploitation of infant feeding.
- To safeguard breastfeeding as a scientifically validated health intervention, critical for the well-being of both infants and mothers.
- To solidify Sri Lanka’s status as a global leader in promoting breastfeeding practices.
The proposal to draft the new legislation was submitted by the Minister of Health and Mass Media, and received policy approval from the current Cabinet to proceed with preparing the Breastfeeding Promotion Bill.
This forthcoming law aims to ensure that future generations of Sri Lankan children grow up with the best possible nutritional foundation, while reaffirming the nation’s commitment to ethical health standards and international best practices.
