every parent wants to raise healthy
children infancy is especially important
in determining a child's future health
breastfeeding is considered the gold
standard of infant nutrition as it
naturally provides infants with
essential nutrients mothers are able to
provide their infants with nutrition
through breastfeeding but some choose to
use formula formula is a manufactured
food for infants which is prepared from
powder or liquid and mixed with water
while formula is harmless in countries
where most have access to clean water in
poorer regions of the world with less
access to education and safe drinking
water using formula can be detrimental
to infant health this issue was recently
in the news globally as a resolution to
encourage breastfeeding backed by years
of comprehensive research was threatened
by the United States at a gathering of
government officials in Geneva for a
World Health Assembly the US delegation
opposed the resolution and went as far
as to threaten countries in support of
it
as most formula companies are based in
the US and Europe this move was seen by
some as a choice to support the success
of an industry over the health of
infants and mothers in developing
countries although the resolution was
eventually passed the fact that the u.s.
tried to block it proves we must work
harder to support breastfeeding as the
healthiest way to feed infants in order
to achieve all of the 2030 agenda for
sustainable development the global
community must make sure to underline
the benefits and importance of
breastfeeding and dangers of using
formula with unclean water with formula
companies often using deceptive
marketing practices it is vital that we
encourage our leaders to place the
health of infants and all people
worldwide over the interests of
companies we seek a world in which all
parents are informed on the benefits of
breast milk and are not persuaded to use
formula by misinformation the key here
is education and governments who are
committed to the health of world
citizens this is one way we can achieve
the agenda 2030 with healthy infants and
well-informed parents we can create a
better world
[Applause]
you
[Music]