The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), in collaboration with UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, organized the World Breastfeeding Week 2026 Launch Ceremony at BISP Headquarters.
The event brought together government officials, development partners, healthcare professionals and nutrition experts to reaffirm efforts to promote, protect and support breastfeeding as a key component of maternal and child health.
Addressing the ceremony, BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized the importance of breastfeeding for child survival, family well-being, human capital development and national progress.
She encouraged mothers to exclusively breastfeed infants during the first six months of life and discouraged unnecessary use of formula milk and bottle feeding.
Senator Rubina Khalid said BISP’s Benazir Nashonuma Programme is carrying forward the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto by supporting maternal and child nutrition and providing essential health and nutrition services to pregnant and breastfeeding women.
She said financial assistance alone is insufficient to improve maternal and child health, stressing that mothers also need accurate information, counselling, trust and access to quality health and nutrition services.
According to BISP Director General Conditional Cash Transfer Dr. Asim Ijaz, the Benazir Nashonuma Programme currently reaches 1.4 million active beneficiaries through 578 facilitation centres across the country.
The programme provides counselling and referrals to healthcare services, including antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC). It also delivers nutrition-related messaging through 169 Nutrition Stabilization Centres.
Dr. Asim Ijaz said the programme has contributed to efforts aimed at reducing stunting and increasing awareness about breastfeeding and maternal and child nutrition.
Pernille Ironside, UNICEF Country Representative, praised BISP’s leadership through the Benazir Nashonuma Programme and emphasized the importance of initiating breastfeeding within the first hour after birth.
Ellen Thom, WHO Pakistan Deputy Country Representative, described Benazir Nashonuma as an example of integrating social protection with health and nutrition interventions and reaffirmed WHO’s support for Pakistan’s maternal and child health efforts.
Meanwhile, Thomas Conan, WFP Pakistan Deputy Country Director, said breastfeeding is among the simplest and most cost-effective ways to improve maternal and child nutrition while also contributing to women’s empowerment.
Earlier, Dr. Saba Shuja, UNICEF’s Early Childhood Development Manager, presented an overview of the global theme and national campaign for World Breastfeeding Week 2026, highlighting breastfeeding’s role in healthy growth, child survival and long-term development.
The ceremony also featured a panel discussion titled “Protecting Breastfeeding through Social Protection Initiatives,”bringing together experts from BISP, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, the Ministry of National Health Services and the Pakistan Paediatric Association.
In his closing remarks, Additional Secretary BISP Dr. Asmat Nawaz thanked development partners and government institutions for their continued collaboration and reaffirmed BISP’s commitment to ensuring mothers and children have access to essential health, nutrition and social protection services.
