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Hong Kong, 27 March 2026 — Breast milk is widely recognised as the best possible start for every child, offering unparalleled nutrition and health benefits. Yet many mothers still face barriers on their breastfeeding journey, and local breastfeeding rates have followed a downward trend in recent years. The 'Say Yes To Breastfeeding' Campaign, launched by Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK), advocates for breastfeeding and mobilises community support to foster a culture that enables every mother to breastfeed. UNICEF HK held the ‘Say Yes To Breastfeeding’ Acknowledgment Ceremony 2025/2026 on 25 March, honoring over 3,000 corporates and commercial outlets pledged as Breastfeeding Friendly Premises and Workplaces.

The Guest of Honour, Dr Cecilia Fan Yuen Man, Under Secretary for Health of the Health Bureau, was joined by esteemed guests including Ms Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK; Dr Chuang Shuk Kwan, Consultant Community Medicine (Family and Student Health) of the Department of Health; Dr Rosanna Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank; Dr Leung Wing Cheong, Vice Chairperson of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association; Dr Ko Wing Man and Dr Barbara Lam, both UNICEF HK Council Members; Ms Fiona Zhuang, member of the UNICEF HK Advocacy Committee; Dr Agnes Chan, UNICEF Regional Ambassador for East Asia and Pacific; along with breast milk donors Ms Claudine Ying and Ms Nikles Kotoko. Their presence, together with representatives from various corporates and organisations, underscored the importance of collaboration across society in promoting sustained breastfeeding.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan, remarked, “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to workplace support for breastfeeding, and has taken the lead in encouraging bureaux and departments to implement the Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Policy since 2013. As of December last year, the number of babycare rooms in the government premises has exceeded 440. Meanwhile, we have also been actively promoting the establishment of Breastfeeding Friendly Premises policy in public places. Since 2017, the Government has specified the requirements for developers to provide babycare rooms and breastfeeding facilities in the Conditions of Sale of new commercial land sale sites. The Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding, chaired by myself, has set up a dedicated working group to step up efforts in implementing the Baby-Friendly Health Facility accreditation in hospitals with maternity services and the Maternal and Child Health Centres, thereby enhancing and reinforcing baby friendly measures at these settings. Protecting breastfeeding is a collective responsibility of the entire society. I call upon all sectors of the community to work together for providing support on all fronts to mothers, and make every effort to create a more breastfeeding friendly environment and atmosphere.”

Ms Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK, said in her speech : “Recent global recalls of infant formula due to potential toxins or bacterial contamination remind us once again that breast milk remains the most natural, safest and most nutritious food for babies. The 'Say Yes To Breastfeeding' Campaign will continue striving to promote sustained breastfeeding and encourage more mothers to exclusively breastfeed for six months and continue until their child turns two, laying a solid foundation for their baby's health during the 'first 7,000 days of life." She also invited the public to take part in UNICEF HK’s breastfeeding short video competition in May, encouraging them to tap into their creativity to raise awareness and promote a breastfeeding-friendly culture.

Dr Agnes Chan, UNICEF Regional Ambassador (East Asia and Pacific), showed her personal support for the ceremony by sharing her own breastfeeding journey. Drawing from her own experience of breastfeeding her three sons until the age of one year and eight months, she spoke about the deep fulfillment and bond it created between her and her children. Now a grandmother, she emphasised that with many mothers balancing demanding careers today, family support and family-friendly corporate policies are essential for helping working mothers continue breastfeeding.

Dr Rosanna Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank engaged in a sharing session with breast milk donors Ms Claudine Ying and Ms Nikles Kotoko. Providing an update on the Milk Bank's achievements, Dr Wong noted: "Since the establishment of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank, over 400 mothers have successfully registered as donors. We have collected more than 2,700 litres of breast milk, benefiting more than 400 infants, surpassing our original target."

Breast milk donor Ms Claudine Ying, a mother of three children, said it is a beautiful blessing to share love with the next generation through milk donation. “I wanted to breastfeed because I wanted to give my children the best, most natural nutrition. With my first baby I wasn’t sure I could, so I was very happy when it worked. Breastfeeding created a strong bond between us. My second child had eczema, so I hoped breastfeeding would help boost immunity. When my third child was born, I felt grateful to have him and learned that many seriously ill and premature babies in Hong Kong need donated breast milk. That is why I began storing milk, and I am thankful I was able to donate to the milk bank.” She also noted that Hong Kong has done well in promoting breastfeeding and added that if employers offered flexible hours and private spaces for breastfeeding mothers, it would help mothers continue breastfeeding while pursuing their careers.

Another breast milk donor, Ms Nikles Kotoko, attended the event with her husband and baby. After seeing the milk bank’s posters and wanting her surplus milk to be put to good use, she decided to become a donor. Ms Kotoko said the support of her husband and her employer made it possible for her to continue breastfeeding while working. She hopes more workplaces will understand the needs of breastfeeding mothers and provide them with greater support.

UNICEF HK strives to promote breastfeeding in Hong Kong and build a breastfeeding friendly community. Since the launch of ‘Say Yes To Breastfeeding’ campaign in collaboration with the Health Bureau and the Department of Health in 2015, we have successfully reached out to over 7,000 corporate members and a network of over 63,000 professionals from various sectors, with over 3,000 workplaces and public premises joining as ‘Breastfeeding Friendly Workplaces and Premises.’ At the ceremony, participating corporations and organisations were presented with awards and certificates in recognition of their steadfast commitment to the ‘Say Yes To Breastfeeding’ Campaign.

For more information about the ‘Say Yes To Breastfeeding’ Campaign, please visit www.sayyestobreastfeeding.hk.

Guest of Honour, Dr Cecilia Fan Yuen Man, Under Secretary for Health of the Health Bureau (fifth right) officiated the ceremony alongside Ms Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK(sixth right); Dr Chuang Shuk Kwan, Consultant Community Medicine (Family and Student Health) of the Department of Health (fourth right); Dr Rosanna Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank (third right); Dr Leung Wing Cheong, Vice Chairperson of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association (second right); Dr Agnes Chan, UNICEF Regional Ambassador (East Asia and Pacific) (fifth left); Dr Ko Wing Man, UNICEF HK Council Member (fourth left); Dr Barbara Lam, UNICEF HK Council Member (third left); Ms Fiona Zhuang, UNICEF HK Advocacy Committee Member (second left); Ms Claudine Ying, Breast Milk Donor (first left); and Ms Nikles Kotoko, Breast Milk Donor (first right).

Dr Cecilia Fan, Under Secretary for Health of the Health Bureau, remarked in her speech that protecting breastfeeding is a collective responsibility of the entire society. She called upon all sectors of the community to work together for providing support on all fronts to mothers, and make every effort to create a more breastfeeding friendly environment and atmosphere.

Ms Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK emphasised that breast milk is the most natural, safest and most nutritious food for babies. She encourages more mothers to exclusively breastfeed for six months and continue until their child turns two. 

UNICEF HK Council Members Dr Ko Wing Man (second right) and Dr Barbara Lam (second left), along with Dr Leung Wing Cheong, Vice Chairperson of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association (first left) shared the clinical benefits of breastfeeding.

Dr Rosanna Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank (second left), shared that since the establishment of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank, over 400 mothers have successfully registered as donors. More than 2,700 litres of breast milk have been collected, benefiting more than 400 infants and surpassing the original target. Breast milk donor Ms Claudine Ying (third left), a mother of three children, said it is a beautiful blessing to share love with the next generation through milk donation. Another breast milk donor, Ms Nikles Kotoko (second right) hopes more workplaces will understand the needs of breastfeeding mothers and provide them with greater support.

Dr Agnes Chan, UNICEF Regional Ambassador (East Asia and Pacific), emphasised that family support and family-friendly corporate policies are essential for helping working mothers continue breastfeeding.

Group photo of Guest of Honour, Dr Cecilia Fan Yuen Man, Under Secretary for Health of the Health Bureau (fifth left); Ms Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK (sixth left); Dr Chuang Shuk Kwan, Consultant Community Medicine (Family and Student Health) of the Department of Health (second left); Dr Rosanna Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank (sixth right); Dr Leung Wing Cheong, Vice Chairperson of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association (fifth right); Dr Agnes Chan, UNICEF Regional Ambassador (East Asia and Pacific) (fourth left); Dr Ko Wing Man, UNICEF HK Council Member (third left); Dr Barbara Lam, UNICEF HK Council Member (fourth right); Ms Fiona Zhuang, UNICEF HK Advocacy Committee Member (third right); Ms May Chiu, UNICEF HK Executive Director (first left); Breast Milk Donors Ms Claudine Ying (second right), Ms Nikles Kotoko (first right); along with other guests. 

Appendix 1: List of Recognised Corporations / Organizations

Ten-Year Commitment to Breastfeeding-friendly Support Honorary Prize

• Arup
• City University of Hong Kong
• CMB Wing Lung Bank Limited
• Consumer Council
• Convenience Retail Asia Limited
• Dah Sing Financial Holdings Limited
• Evangel Hospital
• Hang Lung Properties Limited
• Henderson Land Development Company Limited
• HKBN Ltd.
• Hong Kong Baptist Hospital
• Hong Kong Baptist University
• Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health
• Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management
• Hong Kong St. John Ambulance
• InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong
• Jebsen & Co Ltd
• LBS Corporation Limited
• Lockton Companies (Hong Kong) Limited
• Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority
• Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel
• McDonald's Hong Kong
• Prince Jewellery  & Watch Company Limited
• Royal Park Hotel
• Strategic Public Relations Group Limited
• Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited
• Swire Properties Limited
• The Bank of East Asia, Limited
• The Cityview
• The Education University of Hong Kong
• The Equal Opportunities Commission
• The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong
• The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
• The Hong Kong Golf Club
• The Luxe Manor
• The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
• The Specialists Health Check and Diagnostic Imaging Centre
• The Specialists Surgery and Endoscopy Centre
• The University of Hong Kong
• Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
• TY Medical Practice
• West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
• Wofoo Social Enterprises Limited
• 18 GRAMS

Most Responsive Partner

• Airport Authority Hong Kong
• Bayer Healthcare Ltd
• Royal Plaza Hotel
• The Education University of Hong Kong
• The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
• The Wing On Department Stores (Hong Kong) Limited

Breastfeeding-friendly pioneer

• CASH Financial Services Group Limited
• Diyixian.com Limited
• Evangel Hospital
• Jebsen & Co Ltd
• Nan Fung Property Management - Nan Fung Place
• Sino Estates Management Limited - On Serenity Park II
• Techtronic Industries Company Limited
• YMCA of Hong Kong
• Yue Man Square

Effective Outreach Partners

• Amoy Plaza
• Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong
• Central Market
• Citywalk
• Elements
• ESR Asset Management (Fortune) Limited - Laguna Plaza
• Harbour City
• Miramar Group
• MOKO  (chit-chat session)
• Olympian City 3
• Sino Estates Management Limited - One North
• Sino Estates Management Limited- Gold Coast Piazza
• Times Square Limited

Appendix 2: List of corporates newly pledged as Breastfeeding Friendly Premises or Workplaces in 2025/2026 (in alphabetical order)

Breastfeeding Friendly Premises

Gold Label

• NWPMCL - 83 Wing Hong Street
• THE SOUTHSIDE
• Yau Tsim Mong District Health Centre

Blue Label

• Food For Good Limited
• Meiriki Japan Company Limited
• Nan Fung Property Management - Lakeview Garden

Breastfeeding Friendly Workplaces

• Broadway-Nassau Investments Limited
• Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited
• Hong Kong East Rugby Football Club
• International Property Management Ltd
• NWPMCL - 83 Wing Hong Street
• THE SOUTHSIDE
• Tin Shui Wai Eagle Rugby Club
• Turning Technical Services Limited
• Urban Property Management Limited
• Urban Technical Services Limited
• Yau Tsim Mong District Health Centre
• Yiu San Technology Limited