IYCF in EmergenciesAllison Oman

World Food ProgrammeRegional Bureau Nairobi

2nd February 2016

Some Facts and Figures

• 60 million children live in humanitarian crises worldwide• Only 36% of infants 0-6 months are exclusively breastfed• More than 250 million children under age 5 live in countries affected

by armed conflict.• 56% of maternal and child deaths take place in fragile settings• Anemia is estimated to contribute to 20% of maternal deaths• 67.6% of preschool children and 57.1% of pregnant women are

anemic in Africa- the highest rates in the world• 161 million children are stunted• 51 million children are wasted

IYCF in Emergencies- a definition

IYCF-E is concerned with protecting and supporting breastfed and non-breastfed infants, complementary feeding, care practices, child development, child protection, pregnancy and general maternal and child nutrition and health (mental and physical). IYCF-E is about feeding of infants and young children but in order to ensure this and appropriate care for the infant, it requires cross-sectoral responsibility and engagement including with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), camp management, security, settlement and shelter, health, food security and livelihoods, logistics, child protection, general coordination, and so on.

Save the Children IYCF Friendly Framework

The Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) Operational Guidance proposes 8 areas of basic intervention:

• Prioritise support to meet the immediate essential needs*• Register households to identify needs and help plan support• Establish secure and supportive places• Care for the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women*• Enable safe and appropriate complementary feeding*• Support early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding• Ensure consistent and appropriate communication on IFE*• Ensure access to basic frontline feeding support*

*WFP Direct Intervention

WFP Commitment to IYCF in Emergencies

• Essential nutrients to support pregnant and lactating women• Essential nutrients for children 6-23 month• Education and counseling on exclusive breastfeeding and introduction of

complementary foods• Provision of blanket nutrition support to all pregnant/lactating women and

young children in refugee camps due to nutrient gap in general food distribution• Special focus on pregnant/lactating women and children during humanitarian

emergencies• Ensuring programs/products do not disrupt breastfeeding• Ensuring compliance with the Breast Milk Code

Challenges to IYCF in Emergencies• Women’s time-> fuel, water, distribution lines• Breastfeeding disruption during displacement• Crowding, lack of privacy, lack of shade• Distribution of milk powder, bottles, or formula in emergencies• Breastfeeding disruption-> cessation because of lack of qualified lactation specialists• Assumptions about milk sufficiency• Dehydration• Difficulty in identifying pregnant/lactating women, fear of cheating• Access to adequate clean water, hygiene and sanitation• Sufficient shelter• Food security and livelihood options• Protection