ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – April 5, 2026) Experts have pledged to strengthen the child nutrition framework by calling for uniform legislation and reviving infant nutrition councils to protect early childhood health.
This commitment was expressed during a high-level roundtable conference entitled “From fragmented policies to enforceable rights”, organized by the health services. academy In cooperation with UNICEF at the Islamabad Supreme Court Bar Association.
Key stakeholders, including government representatives, health experts and development partners, stressed that child nutrition should not be treated as a political goal but rather as a fundamental legal right.
About 40 percent of children enter, UNICEF Representative Pernille Ironside said Pakistan They suffer from stunting due to chronic malnutrition.
She said that the country’s future depends on the health and development of its children, calling for a shift from commitments to concrete and implementable actions.
Speakers also suggested providing supportive environments for mothers, noting that access to daycare facilities and designated breastfeeding spaces in workplaces is critical to improving infant feeding outcomes.
The forum concluded with strong recommendations, including the immediate restoration of infant feeding boards to strengthen monitoring and accountability, as well as cracking down on violations related to the promotion of breast-milk substitutes.
Participants also called for the establishment of a central harmonization mechanism Federalism and regional efforts, to ensure a coordinated national response to child malnutrition.
Stakeholders felt that implementing structural reforms was essential to protect children from the risks of physical and cognitive challenges.