Republic of Moldova’s Breastfeeding Caravan empowers women and protects infants through open conversations

Every year, on 1-7 August, the Republic of Moldova celebrates World Breastfeeding Week as a country-wide effort to empower mothers and protect infants. That is the idea behind the Breastfeeding Caravan, a WHO-supported project that connects the country's regions, increasing awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding among people of all backgrounds, ages and genders.

This year's campaign, "Closing the gap: breastfeeding support for all", celebrates breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity and emphasizes the crucial role of societal attitudes and policies in supporting this essential practice. The Caravan will journey from the northern city of Balti to the southern districts of Cantemir and Leova, as well as the capital, Chisinau. Along the way, it will organize awareness events bringing together pregnant women, mothers, partners, families, health-care professionals and policy-makers.

"I'm very grateful for this opportunity to receive more information from experts about the benefits of breastfeeding and vaccination and to communicate with other mothers on those topics," says Olga Matei, a resident of Balti Municipality, who joined a Breastfeeding Caravan event as she prepared for childbirth. Her family doctor recommended she attend the events during her pregnancy, where she found evidence-based advice and a friendly community.

"We debunked together most of the myths related to breastfeeding and nutrition of mums, which I consider a very useful exercise," she adds.

Breastfeeding should be supported - anytime, anywhere

During the launch event, the Minister of Health, Dr Ala Nemerenco, said that breastfeeding can be supported through the consistent implementation of evidence-based practice, as well as by an interprofessional team, with support for mothers from families, employers, peers and communities. She highlighted the beautiful relationship between mother and baby that can occur during breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding ensures the best start to life for any newborn, protecting their and their mother's health. Breastfed children are less likely to be overweight or obese and are less prone to diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases later in life. Women who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Beyond its immediate benefits, breastfeeding is a powerful tool for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in every country. It is closely connected not only to ensuring health and promoting well-being (SDG 3), but also to securing gender equality (SDG 5) and reducing inequalities overall (SGD 10). By empowering women and contributing to their economic independence, breastfeeding also supports inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work (SDG 8), among other global commitments.

Despite the clear evidence, fewer than half of infants under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed globally. The WHO European Region has some of the lowest rates of exclusive breastfeeding of all WHO regions, with just 13% of infants exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months.

"With such low rates of breastfeeding in our region, it is so important to promote open discussions about breastfeeding. Projects such as the Breastfeeding Caravan bring families, communities, health professionals and decision-makers together to normalize and promote breastfeeding. They work to ensure that women who breastfeed receive support anytime, anywhere - no matter where they live and work," said Clare Farrand, WHO/Europe Technical Officer for Nutrition working in the Special Initiative for Noncommunicable Diseases and Innovation team.

Dispelling myths and inspiring action

Each Breastfeeding Caravan event consists of informational sessions covering the benefits of breastfeeding and vaccination, expert advice from health-care professionals, debunking common misconceptions, and essential guidance on maternal nutrition.

"The Breastfeeding Caravan in Moldova represents an innovative and holistic approach to breastfeeding promotion, mother and child health, vaccination and nutrition. But first, the Caravan means heartfelt meetings with mums and future mothers in our community," says Galina Bostan, a nurse working in Carpineni village health centre, and one of the Caravan's active participants. "I'm glad to see my colleagues and their commitment to support breastfeeding and to learn more about exclusivity and continuation of breastfeeding for newborns and infants, mothers' nutrition and routine vaccination for children."

Besides building up overall awareness and social support for breastfeeding, the Breastfeeding Caravan promotes better policies that can integrate breastfeeding into society. These policies include:

• enacting laws to ensure extended paid maternity leave;
• adoption of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes that aims to protect and promote breastfeeding by regulating marketing practices for breastmilk substitutes and related products;
• implementing the "10 steps to successful breastfeeding", as outlined by the WHO-recommended Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

As the Caravan journeys through the country, it sparks crucial conversations, dispels persistent myths and inspires action to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. This awareness campaign serves as a vital link connecting health-care workers with communities and strengthening support within families through essential dialogues on health and infant feeding. The events are organized with financial support from a European Union project supporting the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and strengthening routine vaccination systems in the countries of the Eastern Partnership, and from the United States Government in the context of the humanitarian crisis of displaced people from Ukraine.

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