Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is critical in humanitarian contexts. Recommended IYCF practices can prevent undernutrition, reduce disease burden and save lives. However, emergencies disrupt breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and care practices — putting children at heightened risk. Conducting timely and reliable IYCF assessments is essential for designing effective interventions and making informed decisions to protect and support the nutrition and health of infants and young children.

FHI 360, with the support of Action Against Hunger UK, led the development of an Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) Assessment Guide, the purpose of which is to provide a standardized methodology for collecting, analyzing and interpreting IYCF data in emergencies. This will enable better decision-making during emergency preparedness and response in humanitarian and fragile contexts. The guide aims to streamline the IYCF-E assessment process by offering an easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to support humanitarian responders to better understand the situation and needs of infants and young children and their caregivers.