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Breastfeeding And The MDGs Question

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First week of August is
usually set aside by the United Nations as World Breastfeeding Week. It was adopted at the millennium summit in 2000 World Breastfeeding programmes have been held at this said time of the year to highlight the necessity, problems and prospects of breastfeeding.
In the previous years, emphasis had been placed on the importance of breastfeeding especially when carried out exclusively, to the child, the mother and the society at large.
Yesterday, August 7, 2014 was the climax of the programme for the 2014 edition of the World Breastfeeding week. With the slogan/theme “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal – For Life, the 2014 World Breastfeeding week focused primarily on informing people about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and how they relate to breastfeeding and infant as well as young child’s feeding.
It showcased the progress made so far and the key gaps in improving breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding (IYCF), while calling attention to the importance of stepping up actions to protect, promote and support breastfeeding as a key intervention in the MDGs and in the post – 2015 era.
Finally, this year’s World Breastfeeding Week also stimulated interest among young people of both genders to see the relevance of breastfeeding in today’s changing world.
How is breast-feeding linked to the MDGs?
The eight (8) global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were set in 1990 by governments and the United Nations.
The MDGs were set to fight poverty and promote healthy and sustainable development by 2015. Goal 1: eradicating extreme Poverty and hunger no doubt could be achieved through exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding for 2-years and beyond, which does not only provide high quality nutrients and adequate energy, but can as well help prevent hunger and malnutrition.
Breastfeeding, it must be noted, is a natural and low cost way of feeding babies and children – it is affordable for everyone and does not add burdens to family budgets compared to artificial feeding eg with formula.
In promoting gender equality and empowering women, breastfeeding has been found to be a great equalizer, giving every child a fair and best start in life. Most differences in growth between sexes begin as complimentary foods are added into the diet and gender preference begins to act on feeding decisions.
Talking about reduction in child mortality, this can be readily achieved by about 13% according to research, with improved breastfeeding practices alone, and 6% with improved complimentary feeding.
In addition, about 50-60% of under 5-mortality is linked to malnutrition due to inadequate complementary feeding following poor breastfeeding practices.
Concerning improved maternal health, breastfeeding is associated with decreased maternal postpartum blood loss, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and the likelihood of bone loss post-menopause.
Breastfeeding also contributes to contraception and child spacing – reducing maternal risks eg anaemia of pregnancies too close together.
How about ensuring environmental sustainability? Breastfeeding involves less waste compared to formula production involving the diary pharmaceutical, plastics and aluminum industries and reduces the use of firewood and fossil fuels in the home.
With breastfeeding, a healthier, viable, non-polluted, non-resource intensive source of nutrition and sustenance is assured.
How Far with The MDGs Today?
While we take note of some progress, there is still a lot of “unfinished business” that require urgent attention by the government. There is no gain saying the fact that progress in achieving the various MDGs is slow with large disparities between regions.
From available data, the last 20 years witnessed a reduction in child mortality by 40%, yet almost 7 million children under five die each year and mainly from preventable diseases. Under nutrition continues to affect about a quarter of all children globally.
However, the entire idea of breastfeeding can be protected by ensuring that women and their families receive scientifically factual information and support that is independent of vested business interests, eg from baby food industry and/or professionals. Implementing and monitoring the code and WHA resolutions will help protect breastfeeding.
It can also be promoted by informing and raising awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and mobilising people to take action especially during world breastfeeding week.
The idea can also be supported by providing access to information, as killed clinical help and counselling, and practical and emotional backing to mothers to enable them initiate manage and sustain breastfeeding wherever they are. Maternity protection can help working mothers continue breastfeeding.

 

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

L-R: Guest Speaker, Mrs Victoria Famakinwa, Prof. Bolanle Awe and Principal State  Counsel, Oyo State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Modupe Awosemusi, at a public function in Ibadan, recently

L-R: Guest Speaker, Mrs Victoria Famakinwa, Prof. Bolanle Awe and Principal State Counsel, Oyo State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Modupe Awosemusi, at a public function in Ibadan, recently

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Women

The Wise Woman

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The wise woman builds her home. Mothers are supposed to live exemplary lives. The roles of mothers in the building of the modern Christian home cannot be overemphasized.
The function of the mother is to help the man build the home. She is a helper. A helper to the husband when the man is not doing well. It is important for the wise woman to assist when the man is not able to meet up with the items needed in the home.
A wise woman needs to reference God first and then the husband. Also the wise woman should respect her husband.
Caring for her own children as well as others is very crucial.
Do not despise children from other mothers. Discipline the child who is going the wrong way.
Ensure family bonding, show love and don’t discriminate. Connection with children is very important, especially the females. Find out who is her friend. Also find out the kind of lives they live. Caution, counsel and guide so that they make good partners.
Teaching children the dos and donts should start from birth. Inculcate the word of God in them so that when they grow, will not depart from it.
From the Scripture, some women influenced their families positively. Virgin Mary influenced the world, she never destroyed herself hence she gave birth to Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth, despite her age, God blessed her as she waited patiently.
A wise should curb favouritism in the family and love children equally. Whether a child is your biological child or not, it is necessary to show love equally. Reprimanding the children should be the function of both man and wife.

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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Marriage is beautiful when there is love. Before and after marriage, couples show love to themselves. But you discover that after some years, that same love turn to be something else. A lot of people start going through emotional trauma in the hands of their loved spouses.
There are many things the woman desires to keep the love on as far as marriage is concerned.
Women are blesssed with feminine abilities that can be used for good in husbands lives. With your abilities, you can create a marriage that will last till couples get old.
A woman needs
man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, if there is no reasonable finance,  it is always difficult to manage the home.
Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3: “Your desire  shall be unto you…….. “
What this means is that whatever the woman desires in life shall be provided as far as she performs her role in her home. There are many things  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things when he is at home.
A man that is educated and intelligent so that they will transfer such traits to their children.
Knowing that there are traits that her husband has,  traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family. She expects him to exhibit them.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
No matter where he finds himself, he is not destracted by external influence. He returns home to his loved ones.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.
According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that a woman builds her home. As far as he rreturns home, you accept him as your own.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband. The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.
You can show some form of jealousy, but to an extent. Cooperation, respect and being honoured from time to time is what the woman desires.
The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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A woman needs a man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money,  it is always difficult.


Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire  shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things.   A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has.  Traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.


According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.


The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

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