International baby food action network ibfan

International Baby Food Action Network-IBFAN - 1014 Words

1 IBFAN - INTERNATIONAL BABY FOOD ACTION NETWORK
IBFAN was founded on October 12th, 1979 after the joint meeting of WHO and UNICEF on Infant and Young Child Feeding. It contains 273 groups in 168 countries. IBFAN is an international network. Groups are diverse: consumer organisations, health workers associations and mother support groups. There are also individual members. International Baby food action network consists of many public interest groups.
IBFAN contains 8 district offices.They are in Africa, Arab world, Europe, Oceania, Afrique, Asia, Latin America and Caribbean and North America.
One of the most important focus in IBFAN is Implementation of the international CODE of Marketing of breastmilk substitutes.Also infant feeding safety is important and human rights as the convention on the rights of the child. Other topics are infant feeding in emergency and in the context of HIV, contaminants in babyfood and sponsorship issues.

1.1 IBFAN VISION
The purpose of IBFAN is to enable best for children and mothers by promoting, protecting and support breastfeeding. Support means technical and planning support.

1.2 IBFAN MISSION
IBFAN want to support Governments and civil societys by getting tools and information about supporting breastfeeding. It is important that governments know how to avoid missleading propaganda which baby food corporations do. IBFAN is watch-dog organization. International CODE of breastmilk substitutes has important role because of conflicts of interests in policies and programmes globally and internationally.

1.3 PRINCIPLES
IBFAN has 7 principles:
1. Infant and young children everywhere to have the right to the highest attainable standard for health
2. Families and particular women and children ...

... middle of paper ...

...CODE directions. We have to be independent of the baby food industry.

3.1 Qualifications for employees in IBFAN
All kind of people like professionals and volunteers can affect to attitude to breastfeeding. Also all kind of health professionals have remarkable role as supporter, as promoter and as protector of breastfeeding. Professionals work must be based on scientific knowledge.

3.2 My career in IBFAN
I have been once in IBFAN Conference in Riga year 2003. It was very useful to get information about marketing and CODE practices in different countries and how they react about advertising and marketing breast-milk substitutes. We should be aware of the power of marketing. As a headnurse and breastfeeding counsellor I try to ensure that my staffs know about the CODE and that they know what is allowed and what is not when they are counselling mothers and families.

In this essay, the author

Explains that the purpose of ibfan is to enable best for children and mothers by promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding.
Explains that ibfan wants to support governments and civil society by getting tools and information about supporting breastfeeding.
Explains ibfan's main tool to ensure that baby food marketing don't have negative impact on health. code regulates the marketing of breast-milk substitutes and directs professionals to promote breastfeeding.
Explains that codex alimentarius is a collection of international food standards, instructions, and other similar recommendations.
Argues that baby milk action demands protection against irresponsible marketing. nestle imports breast-milk substitute powder to undeveloping countries.
Explains that breastfeeding has many good effects to mothers and child health, and economic and environmental benefits. ibfan do important work globally to support, protect and promote breastfeeding.
Opines that public health nurses and midwives and doctors working with mother-baby clinics and hospitals should know about ibfan targets and especially code directions.
Opines that all kinds of people like professionals and volunteers can affect to attitude to breastfeeding. professionals work must be based on scientific knowledge.
Explains that they attended the ibfan conference in riga in 2003 to get information about marketing and code practices in different countries and how they react about advertising and marketing breast-milk substitutes.
Explains that ibfan was founded on october 12th, 1979 after the joint meeting of who and unicef on infant and young child feeding.
Opines that all people have the right to access quality health care services and information free of commercial influence.
Opines that finland's mother-baby clinics don't advertise bottles, dummies, or milk substitutes anymore, and that it is important to tell new parents about code.

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International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) Statement on the Promotion and Use of Commercial Fortified Foods as Solutions for Child Malnutrition

The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) recognizes that the prevention and control of child malnutrition worldwide, with particular focus on undernutrition in developing countries, constitutes a major challenge and is concerned that if left un-checked, this poses an intolerable burden of disease and death on poor communities and countries.

IBFAN believes that addressing child undernutrition, apart from being a human rights imperative, is essential to achieve Millennium Development Goals 1 and 4, and concurs with United Nations MDG Report 2011 that progress in the developing regions is insufficient to reach the target by 2015 [1].

IBFAN is convinced that child malnutrition is the result of widespread global social and economic inequity, the marginalization of poor communities, as well as womens disempowerment and lack of access to productive resources. It leads to lack of affordable health care, inadequate support for optimal infant and young child feeding practices, lack of sufficient water for drinking and sanitation, resulting in repeated bouts of diarrheal and respiratory disease and chronic hunger and malnutrition in children.

IBFAN is concerned that solutions for child malnutrition, both its prevention and treatment, are becoming increasingly medicalised with the use of fortified commercial foods as "quick fixes" - ignoring community based approaches and underlying and basic causative factors [2].

The current emphasis on commercial ready-made foods as a treatment for acute forms of malnutrition, should not be used as a model cure for all [3]. Experience has shown that such interventions are often not sustainable and ineffective in the long term. For example, according to a UNICEF report of 2009 "Although significant progress has been made since 2005 in the Nigers ability to effectively treat severely acutely malnourished children through the community-based approach, the prevalence of acute malnutrition remains high" [4].

IBFAN is aware of research, which shows that the use of fortified commercial foods leads to weight gain in undernourished children. However, such studies do not compare the efficacy of such ready-made foods with improved feeding practices using home-made indigenous foods and support for optimal breastfeeding, whose contribution to nutrition is so valuable [5]. Moreover, recent concerns about use of these products and their impact on prevalence of obesity and related diseases must not be taken lightly.

IBFAN also believes that the current focus of attention on treating acute forms of malnutrition with ready-to-use therapeutic foods should not be used to extend similar interventions to chronic malnutrition. Since commercial fortified foods are costly, they increase dependency on outside agencies and shift the focus from community-based solutions, to treating malnutrition as a disease with ready made fortified food as the magic pill. Scaling up such "quick fixes" will delay and divert attention from action to achieve food security.

IBFAN strongly supports the right to adequate food for ALL and therefore calls upon governments, and all others concerned, globally and regionally:

1. To take immediate steps to prevent malnutrition through various measures including the enhancement of the rates of optimal breastfeeding infant and young child feeding practices, the provision of adequate drinking water, accessible health care and child care support systems that are free from inappropriate commercial influence.

2. To take meaningful steps towards resolving underlying factors of child malnutrition in a timely manner.

3. To take steps to eliminate poverty and hunger, by supporting sustainable food systems that that improve local food production, availability and affordability, include women and gender perspective in food security.

4. To implement the World Health Assembly resolution 63.23 to end inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children, including nutrition and health claims. This should also involve regulatory measures to ban the promotion of commercial fortified foods for malnutrition.

5. To take steps to ensure that the primary treatment of all types of acute malnutrition is based on local foods and supervised by a trained health professionals without undue commercial influence.

6. To re-evaluate the use of commercial ready-made foods in the prevention and treatment of child malnutrition in emergencies such as man-made and/or natural disasters and to advocate the use, wherever possible, of diverse indigenous /local foods.

7. To ensure that international, regional and local policies and plans of action for the prevention of child malnutrition are based on independent research and include impact evaluations.

The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) is a 1998 Right Livelihood Award recipient. (www.ibfan.org) It consists of more than 200 public interest groups working together around the world to save lives of infants and young children and bring lasting change in infant feeding practices at all levels. IBFAN aims to promote the health and well-being of infants and young children and their mothers through protection, promotion and support of optimal breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding practices. IBFAN works for the universal and full implementation of International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitute and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions.

IBFAN developed and issued this statement in August 2011, with wider global consultation among its global coordination council members.

References

1. United Nations. The Millennium Development Goals report 2011. Available at: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/(2011_E)%20MDG%20Report%202011_Book %20LR.pdf. Accessed on 11th August 2011.

2. Schaetzel T,Nyaku A. The case for preventing malnutrition through infant feeding and management of childhood illness: USAIDs Infant & young child nutrition project. Available at: http://www.path.org/files/IYCN_the_ case_prev_mal_pos.pdf. Accessed on 11th August 2011.

3. Sachs J. Saying Nuts to Hunger. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-sachs/saying-nuts-to-hunger_b_706798.html. Accessed on 12th August 2011.

4. UNICEF. Tracking Progress: UNICEF report calls for urgent international action on nutrition. Available at: http:// www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_51688.html. Accessed on 12th August 2012.

5. Dewey KG. Nutrition, growth, and complementary feeding of the breastfed infant. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2001;48):87-104.

A Brief History of the World Association of Action for Child Food Protection IBFAN

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The Worldwide Baby Food Action Association (IBFAN) is one of the world's oldest networks in the world. She invented Networking before it became a common trend.

It officially started in 1979 and the 40th anniversary was celebrated in Rio de Janeiro in 2019. This note was inspired by archiving documents at the IBFAN Penang office in 2019and 2020. It covers the history of how IBFAN started with 6 core members and grew to 273 city groups in 168 developing industrial countries and how it works today.

It remained a "flat" non-state organizational coalition, without bosses. IBFAN's middle name is Action, and the main focus of the network is to find ways to regulate the powerful baby food companies that directly compete with breastfeeding, a pillar of child health.

IBFAN aims to eliminate this commercial competition by giving breastfeeding a better chance.

Our work includes:

Internationalize the Nestlé boycott. Nestlé is the largest manufacturer of baby food: formulas, other breast milk substitutes, baby juices, cereals.
The boycott led the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to develop an international Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (Code) between 1979 to 1981.
For a full two years, governments, nongovernmental organizations, industry and scientists, under the supervision of WHO and UNICEF, have been partners in the process of writing the new document. There were 4 preliminary projects. IBFAN participated in the writing of all 4 projects by providing evidence of commercial progress in third world countries. The evidence provided ensured the practical value of the Code in terms of content and rationale.
IBFAN (three years from the date of inception) brought 90 people from all over the world to the World Health Association in Geneva in 1981 to promote the anonymous adoption of the Code. Despite strong pressure from the US government and major baby food manufacturers against the Code, the wording was not changed and the Code was adopted by a vote with the support of 118 countries to 1 country against (USA). The media paid great attention to the event and the headlines: "US votes against children."
IBFAN groups grew rapidly in numbers and were distributed by region: 4 groups in Asia, three groups in Africa, two in Latin America, one in North America, one in the Middle East and two or three in Europe.

Keywords

Breastfeeding, historical research, World Action Association for Baby Food Advocate, International Code Documentation Center, International Code of Practice for the Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes Nestlé boycott, legislation to protect breastfeeding

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm

ILO Departments

Division of Conditions of Work and Employment (TRAVAIL)

TRAVAIL's mandate includes research and providing recommendations on the development of program measures in the field of maternity protection and the combination of work and family responsibilities of employees. The TRAVAIL website provides access to all publications, databases, training resources, videos and country initiatives on these topics.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/travail/lang--en/index.htm

Department of Social Security (SEC/SOC)

The SEC/SOC is mandated to research, develop policies and conducting technical cooperation activities on issues related to social protection. The Department provides ILO member states with tools and assistance in achieving and maintaining the right of their people to basic social protection.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/secsoc/

Occupational Safety and Health (SAFEWORK)

The division aims to inform the world community about the scope and consequences of occupational diseases and accidents at work, to integrate labor protection into international and national policies, and to provide support to countries in their efforts to improve national OSH systems and programs and bring them into line with international labor standards.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/safework/lang--en/index.htm

HIV/AIDS and the World of Work (ILO/AIDS) Program

The ILO is the lead organization in the system UN to develop policies and programs on HIV and AIDS in the world of work and to mobilize the private sector to address this issue. ILO/AIDS plays a critical and business-to-business role in the global response to HIV and AIDS, and contributes to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals by ensuring universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/aids/lang--en/index.htm

Bureau for Gender Equality (GENDER)

The GENDER Bureau is mandated to support and advise on the promotion and advocacy of gender equality in the world of work. The Office maintains an extensive database on gender issues, conducts gender audits, and has established a Gender Help Desk to strengthen the capacity of ILO workers and partners to address equity issues in their work life.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/gender/lang--en/index.htm

Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV)

ACTRAV is responsible for strengthening social dialogue between trade unions, the ILO and other key interested parties. ACTRAV is actively involved in helping trade unions implement and promote ILO standards and practices.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/actrav/lang--en/index.htm

Bureau for Employers' Activities (ACT/EMP)

ACT/EMP is responsible for strengthening social dialogue between employers' organizations, the ILO and other key stakeholders. ACT/EMP helps employers build effective employers' organizations that can contribute to the economic and social development of their countries.

Available at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/actemp/

ILO International Training Center (ILO ITC)

ILO ITC (Turin, Italy) is a center of excellence for higher education level. Conducts training courses for ILO staff and field practitioners on the effective implementation of good labor practices. Detailed information about these courses and their content is available on the website of the training center.

Available at: http://www.itcilo.org/en

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UNFPA

The United Nations Population Fund promotes the right of every woman, man and child to a healthy life and equal opportunity. UNFPA is helping countries use demographic data to develop policies and programs to reduce poverty and ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, that every young person is protected from HIV and AIDS, and that every girl and woman was worthy and respectful.

Available at: http://www.unfpa.org/public/cache/offonce/home/mothers

UNICEF

The purpose of the United Nations Children's Fund is to ensure children's rights, survival, development and protection, guided by the Convention on the Rights child. The Foundation strives to ensure that the rights of the child become an unshakable ethical principle and an international norm of behavior towards children.

Available at: http://www.unicef.org/health/index_maternalhealth.html

WHO

WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health issues, setting the agenda for health research, setting norms and standards, developing evidence-based policy, providing technical support to countries, and monitoring and evaluating the health situation. the dynamics of its change.

Available at: http://www.who.int/en/

WHO Departments

Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (MCA)

Equal access for mothers, newborns, children and adolescents to quality integrated health services is critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Department was established in 2011 to address key challenges related to the achievement by 2015 of MDG 4 (reducing child mortality) and MDG 5 (improving maternal health) in all countries.

Available at: http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/en/

The MCA has produced a number of publications on the practice and importance of breastfeeding.

All information available at: http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/

Department of Gender, Women and Health

This program draws attention to how biological and sociocultural factors affect women's health. Using a variety of data collection methods, the department provides evidence on health hazards and makes recommendations for addressing them, taking into account the specific needs of women.

Available at: http://www.who.int/gender/about/en/

UN WOMEN

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women . It was established with the conviction that fulfilling the promise of equal rights for men and women would bring far-reaching benefits that would benefit women and all people.

Available at: http://www.unwomen.