Background:Working with other government ministries, departments and agencies and different development partners, the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development is leading efforts to develop regulations on "Breastfeeding and childcare facilities" in Uganda. However, the regulations are dominated by provisions for the formal economy, with little provisions for the informal economy. To address this gap, the planning meeting for these regulations requested for evidence on the different interventions that can be implemented to effect exclusive breastfeeding for mothers in the informal economy.Rapid Response Question:How can we promote exclusive breastfeeding in the informal economy in Uganda?Findings:There is limited evidence on interventions to address exclusive breastfeeding in the informal economy. To inform this brief, we have drawn from the limited evidence from the informal economy and adopted and contextualised evidence from the formal economy.An informal economy is characterised as "consisting of units engaged in producing goods or services with the primary objective of generating employment and incomes to the persons concerned. These units typically operate at a low level of organisation, with little or no division between labour and capital as factors of production and on a small scale. The strategies to achieve exclusive breastfeeding are multi-pronged and can consist of the following interventions;Engage women and potential actorsEngage women and other potential actors in design of the intervention for contextualisation and ownershipSensitising mothersSensitiseConsiderations for social normsContext is important in designing the intervention packagesBeyond the workplaceInvolve other people who might influence breast feeding decisionsEmployer sensitisationSensitising employers on their business benefits upon supporting breastfeeding by employeesSensitise supervisors and co-workersConsiderations for maternity leave cash transfersBreast feeding facilitiesSetting upCare CentresSetting up care infant and child-care centres near workplacesMonitoring and evaluationSensitise mothers on the importance of exclusive breast feedingSensitise supervisors and co-workers on the need of support for exclusive breastfeedingDesign private or semi- private breast feeding facitilities at workplacesPlan for M&E to inform changes to implemented interventionsNote that regulation of the informal sector remains a challenge, and therefore the implementation of these interventions rely on engagement, advocacy and lobbying of employers in the informal economy.Conclusions:There is limited evidence on strategies to inform exclusive breastfeeding in the informal economy. The strategies are multi-pronged and rely on engagement, advocacy and lobbying as policies and regulations of this economy remain a challenge in Uganda.
