Family Commission of the AN: Reform of the Law on the Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding Moves Forward

Published at: 03/06/2026 07:01 PM

The Standing Committee on Families, Freedom of Religion and Worship of the National Assembly approved this Wednesday the first amended articles of the Law on the Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding, which will be submitted to the Parliament's directive for a second discussion.

The president of the instance, the deputy Jorge Arreaz a, began the debate and stressed that updating this law is essential for the protection of Venezuelan families, especially boys and girls.

Right and duty to information about breastfeeding, Participation and social co-responsibility, were some of the articles amended and approved by the Family Commission.

The first vice-president of the Commission, María Rosa Jiménez, said that the practice of breastfeeding went from more than 50% to 84% in recent years, thanks to the promotion of government programs implemented to date.

He recalled that during the work that this body has done to reform 11 articles in total of the Breastfeeding Act, approved in the first discussion, proposals were incorporated from the Ministry of Health, mothers and midwives. “It was serious work. We are thinking of a law that includes the whole of society, not just for the actors involved (...) We want this to be a law for love and peace,” he added.

Likewise, the terms were approved in the commission: exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the infant, as well as milk formulas for boys and girls adapted to the needs of the infant and as a complement to breast milk, among other paragraphs. Some terms were deferred for discussion next Wednesday.

The current Breastfeeding Act was approved in the first discussion in 2007. It protects the right of boys and girls to receive breast milk as an exclusive food for the first six months, guarantees mothers the right to breastfeed in public spaces and grants special work permits for breastfeeding.

This update of the instrument will maintain the benefits and protection of maternal nutrition, but it promotes changes to strengthen the benefits for mothers and infants.

Mazo News Team