South Sudan has significantly improved exclusive breastfeeding, with rates rising to 73 percent in 2024 from 45 percent in 2010, according to UN News.

To reach the 2027 target of 80 percent, UNICEF urged collective action to address challenges faced by mothers, including lack of support, misinformation, cultural barriers, insecurity, and aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes.

Speaking at the launch of World Breastfeeding Week in Juba, UNICEF’s Noala Skinner and Health Minister Sarah Cleto Rial stressed the need for community-wide support and skilled healthcare workers to promote breastfeeding.

Despite progress, nearly 30 percent of infants still miss out on proper early nutrition, contributing to high infant mortality and malnutrition, UN News reported.