Nepal

Using ARCH research to advocate for improved programs for infant and young child nutrition

Activities

  • Develop and test monitoring mechanisms to assist the Nepal Government in enforcing the national law prohibiting promotion of breastmilk substitutes
  • Enable continued roll-out of lactation management training for delivery care workers to strengthen hospital practices and build capacity
  • Work with Nepal hospitals to provide lactation management training and increase facilities’ capacity to support breastfeeding
  • Work with stakeholders to translate findings from ARCH research on unhealthy snack food and beverage consumption into actions to improve the dietary adequacy of young children in Nepal

Key Indicators

36%

stunting among children under 5

10%

wasting among children under 5

39

under 5 mortality (per 1,000 live births)

55%

early initiation of breastfeeding

66%

exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months

98%

continued breastfeeding at age one

89%

continued breastfeeding at age 2

36%

minimum acceptable diet age 6-23 months

Legal Status of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes:
Full provisions in law

Sources: Ministry of Health, Nepal; New ERA; and ICF. 2017. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Kathmandu, Nepal: Ministry of Health, Nepal.; Marketing of breast-milk substitutes: national implementation of the international code, status report 2018. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.