Strengthening what works: new evidence to accelerate investment in breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is one of the most cost-effective investments a country can make in its people. Yet most governments and donors are not aware of the economic evidence to act on that fact.

For World Breastfeeding Week 1–7 August 2026, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, through the Global Breastfeeding Collective, will launch an updated global investment case for breastfeeding. The investment case, produced in collaboration with Nutrition International, gives policymakers, donors and advocates a current economic argument for closing the financing gap in protecting and supporting breastfeeding. 

Join us as we explore:

• The economic case for investment: an updated global investment case for breastfeeding, built on the Cost of Not Breastfeeding model.
• What works and how well: new evidence on breastfeeding support interventions with the strongest track record, and what scaling them up would take.
• Country-level perspectives: speakers from multiple regions will share how the economic case may support domestic policy and funding decisions.

Panel discussion

Nutrition International will walk through the investment case methodology and findings, followed by a country perspectives panel discussing what the evidence means for policy and investment decisions on the ground.

This event is designed for:

• government officials working in nutrition, health, finance, and social protection ministries;
• international donors and bilateral development partners;
• UN agencies and multilateral institutions;
• Global Breastfeeding Collective partner organizations and civil society;
• academic and research communities working on nutrition economics.

Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Russian. 

The webinar will be held twice, with a similar agenda, to accommodate participants in different time zones.

Date: 4 August 2026, 08:00 CEST

Date: 5 August 2026, 17:00 CEST