Prince Jewellery & Watch joined the ‘Say Yes to Breastfeeding’ campaign, pledging to support working mothers to sustain breastfeeding after returning to work.

The International Women’s Day (8 March) celebrates the effort in promoting women’s rights. With the support from Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK), the Food and Health Bureau and Department of Health, Prince Jewellery & Watch joined the ‘Say Yes to Breastfeeding’ campaign recently, pledging to support working mothers to sustain breastfeeding after returning to work. As of today over 60 corporations established Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace. To show your support, please share this message and visit http://sayyestobreastfeeding.hk for more information.

Hong Kong’s breastfeeding culture gradually improved with the combined efforts of UNICEF HK, the government and society. The percentage of breastfeeding of mothers on discharge of hospital has raised to 86 per cent in 2014 from less than 20 per cent in 1992. However, the number of mothers who can sustain breastfeeding remains low.

A recent report released on The Lancet by a research team led by UNICEF and World Health Organization points out that providing lactation rooms and breaks to express breast milk at workplaces increased breastfeeding rate at 6 months by 25 per cent.

In a tele-survey conducted by Family Health Service, Department of Health in 2015, nearly 90 per cent of the interviewed agree on implementing breastfeeding-friendly policies in workplaces, including providing working mothers lactation breaks, private space and facilities to store breastmilk. However, as revealed by the employed-respondents, less than 20 per cent employers are providing such support.

Launched in August last year, ‘Say Yes to Breastfeeding’ is a community support campaign initiated by UNICEF HK, and supported by the Food and Health Bureau and Department of Health, to help mothers sustain breastfeeding for better health of the next generation.

In addition to establishing Breastfeeding Friendly Work Places, more than 60 restaurants from 17 districts have also joined the campaign in becoming Breastfeeding Friendly Public Premises to support mothers to breastfeed at their restaurants.