Indonesia Launches Program to Support Visually Impaired Mothers in Breastfeeding

World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated annually from August 1 to 7, underscores the universal right of mothers to receive support in breastfeeding their children. However, visually impaired women in Indonesia encounter substantial hurdles, from limited information access to a scarcity of disability-friendly educational materials.

To address these challenges, the SAPA NETRA program was launched by Respati University of Indonesia (URINDO) in partnership with the Indonesian Blind Union (PERTUNI). This initiative, meaning "Support, Advocacy, and Accessible Education for Visually Impaired Mothers in Breastfeeding," commenced on July 31, 2026, aligning with the week's promotion of strengthening breastfeeding support systems for societal benefit.

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Breastfeeding is the fundamental right of every mother and child, which must be protected and supported by the state and society without discrimination. Visual impairments should not limit a mother's right to care for and provide breast milk to her baby independently and with dignity.

Kusmayra Ambarwati, Chief Executive of the SAPA NETRA Implementation Team, stressed that visual impairment should not impede a mother's role. "Breastfeeding is the fundamental right of every mother and child, which must be protected and supported by the state and society without discrimination," she stated. "Visual impairments should not limit a mother's right to care for and provide breast milk to her baby independently and with dignity."

The SAPA NETRA program operates on three core pillars: support, advocacy, and accessible education. The support component involves training visually impaired individuals from the Indonesian Blind Union as Peer Counselors, who will offer emotional, psychosocial, and practical guidance. Advocacy efforts aim to secure inclusive and non-discriminatory reproductive healthcare services for visually impaired mothers, in accordance with Indonesian law. The accessible education pillar focuses on creating resources that cater to the needs of these mothers, transforming information barriers into a community-based empowerment movement.

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Visually impaired mothers must be empowered, not deceived by inaccurate information or unnecessary promotion of formula milk without medical indication.