Preliminary Announcement - Save the Dates!
Nurturing The Future:
Challenges to Breastfeeding in the 21st Century
WABA GLOBAL FORUM 2
23-27 September 2002, Arusha, Tanzania
The Key Facts
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) announces plans to hold
their Second Global Forum entitled Nurturing the Future: Challenges to
Breastfeeding in the 21st Century. The Forum will bring together a diverse
group of individuals and organisations and provide a unique opportunity to
discuss, review and formulate strategies to improve infant and young child
health, nutrition and care through the protection, support and promotion of
breastfeeding, with the focus on the community.
Forum 2 will focus on:
* Research which provides the evidence base for appropriate actions
* Capacity building to enable groups to implement more effective actions
* Popular mobilisation to ensure that actions are community and
people-centered
With its African venue, Forum 2 will focus on lessons the rest of the world
can learn from this unique and age-old breastfeeding culture and ways of
protecting it from today's threats, varying from the baby food industry and
its exploitation of the HIV/AIDS issue to globalisation and free
marketeer's efforts to destroy the Code. The Forum has been planned with
assistance, funding, and enthusiastic support of a host of groups involved
in the breastfeeding and allied movements, including women, environment,
consumer, human rights and food security groups.
. . . What?
The two main goals of the Second WABA Global Forum are:
* To provide an opportunity for rallying worldwide participation in the
movement to protect, support and promote breastfeeding and childcare;
* To spread awareness on the rights of children and women to adequate food,
health and care especially in developing countries.
. . . Where?
Forum 2 will be held in the city of Arusha in northern Tanzania. With a
temperate climate and its location close to Mount Kilimanjaro, the city
offers excellent conference and hotel facilities and is close to
world-famous attractions such as Serengetti National Park and the Ngorogoro
Crater.
. . . Who?
WABA invites participation from individuals and groups interested in the
topics of Forum 2, ranging from women, children, environmental and consumer
groups, to individuals such as health workers and young people. There will
be a strong training and capacity building focus. The presence of many
experts in the fields of health and nutrition, child care and community
participatory action will make it possible to share skills and knowledge
about advances along a wide front.
Key Issues
The thrust of the Forum programme is on the primary goal of the Innocenti
Declaration: all women should be enabled to practise exclusive
breastfeeding for six months and to continue to breastfeed while providing
appopriate complementary foods, for up to two years of age or beyond. WABA
aims to do this through strengthening the four Innocenti targets and
addressing key issues:
* HIV/AIDS
A strategy to strengthen the protection, promotion and support of
breastfeeding in the face of HIV/AIDS.
* Maternity Protection
Inspiring the development of regional and national strategies for
implementing the new ILO Convention 183 on Maternity Protection by
promoting its ratification. Also strengthen maternity protection among
women working in the informal sector.
* The Code
Continue to strengthen the promotion of the International Code of
Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in the face of the baby food industry's
recent marketing initiatives (such as new ways of marketing via the
Internet, and promotion during emergencies). Adopting the Code is part of
governments' obligation when they implement the Convention on the Rights of
the Child (CRC).
* Mother Support
Recognise and strengthen mother support groups and other community based
support systems. WABA is developing a Global Initiative on Mother Support
(GIMS) as a means to build support from the grassroots as well as from
international organisations to foster global initiative to support women
throughout their reproductive cycle and in particular before, during and
after birth. GIMS aims to link with the UNICEF CARE Initiative and other
relevant international programmes and initiatives.
* BFHI & Birthing Practices
Extend the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to include good
birthing practices in order to transform the BFHI into a Mother-Baby
Friendly Initiative. Work with UN agencies and others to develop new
guidelines for maternity care and a joint declaration for maternity. BFHI
practitioners have noted that poor birthing practices lead to poor
breastfeeding initiation.
What's New
* This Forum will expand the horizons for the breastfeeding movement,
moving us into unchartered territory and linking us with new partners.
* Our African venue will lend an African perspective to the proceedings,
giving us all a chance to learn from one of the world's strongest
breastfeeding cultures.
* The most dynamic international activism today is pitting people power
against market power and globalisation. The breastfeeding movement must
harness and join this effort to ensure that the free market is never
allowed to mean free access for the baby food and transgenic food
industries to our babies.
* The way that the threat of transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to infant
is now being dealt with is a bigger threat to breastfeeding than the virus
itself. We must update ourselves, become proactive and build a united front
calling for science and ethics, not politics and Northern domination, to
determine which approaches are used.
* There is momentum toward protecting, respecting and facilitating the
breastfeeding rights of working women. The Forum will bring us up to date
on ratification and implementation of the new ILO Maternity Protection
Convention 183 and explore how to expand coverage to informal workers.
* Again and again the mass media exploit breastfeeding's emotive quality,
especially regarding environmental pollutants. The Forum will empower us
all to proactively and confidently deal with this locally, putting us in
contact with scientific data, environmental groups, UN and other
statements.
* Forum 2 will launch a new international initiative for support to
mothers. For the first time all the necessary component of the support we
all know is necessary to enable mothers to breastfeed successfully will be
explored and mobilised simultaneously.
* Join us in setting up a Hall of Fame to celebrate the movement's
successes and a Hall of Shame to document past and present industry
violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
and Subsequent WHO Resolutions-and dirty tricks!
* Breastfeeding works best where it is the norm, supported by community and
family structures. Yet we have so far failed to develop many
community-based approaches to protect, support and promote breastfeeding.
The Forum will showcase what has been done so far and provide a
brainstorming arena in which new approaches can be designed for the
settings in which you live and work.
* The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is the most widespread of all
breastfeeding programmes. We will explore how to build on it to achieve
baby and mother friendliness throughout the health care system, including
birthing and will discuss the threat posed by misinformation about
HIV/AIDS.
Background
The first WABA Global Forum was held five years ago in December 1996 in
Bangkok (see WABA website www.waba.br.org). It resulted in building,
inspiring and strengthening the breastfeeding movement and it led to new
activities, and brought on board new partners. Many network members have
over the past few years expressed the need for another such revitalising
Forum.
Several brainstorming sessions on the goals, objectives and programme of
Forum 2 have taken place from 1999-2001. These meetings have confirmed the
validity of the first Forum goals, major themes and programme as well as
laid out the Ten Critical Areas for Action (see back page). They have
especially recognised the need to strengthen the implementation of the
Innocenti Declaration targets and to move beyond it to support such
activities as more humane birthing practices, good maternity care and
greater community support.
Pre-Forum Meeting on HIV and Breastfeeding
It is proposed that a two-day international meeting be held in Arusha to
discuss the important topic of appropriate infant feeding for babies born
to HIV-positive mothers and the impact of the HIV pandemic on support for
breastfeeding. Mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV occurs in utero,
during child birth and through breastfeeding. The meeting will concentrate
on infection occurring through breastfeeding, and on the importance of risk
assessment both in advice to mothers and in public policy. That is, the
risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding versus the risk of not
breastfeeding. Alternative methods of infant feeding will be discussed. The
impact of concern about MTCT on activities in support of breastfeeding such
as BFHI, Code implementation, World Breastfeeding Week and others will also
be reviewed.
10 Critical Areas for Action
WABA Global Forum 2, Nurturing the Future: Challenges to Breastfeeding in
the 21st Century
23-27 September 2002, Arusha, Tanzania
1. HIV/AIDS
Participants will be presented with the latest scientific information on
mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS. They will critically review
research and pilot study outcomes, UN policies and various organisations'
position statements and learn about risk assessment both to assist
individuals and policy makers and will develop appropriate guidelines for
their settings. Best practices will also be shared.
2. National Breastfeeding Mechanisms
Lessons learned from a global survey on the first Innocenti target and from
existing committees will be examined. Based on this, a recommended terms of
reference for such a committee will be produced and a strategy for putting
together one that has a clear mandate, a budget, and accountability.
3. Popular Mobilisation
Best practices in community mobilising initiatives to support breastfeeding
will be presented. Participants will learn and share various popular
mobilisation techniques (e.g. WBW), develop skills in proposal-writing,
advocacy, and linking breastfeeding to broader global campaigns, such as
UNICEF's Global Movement for Children.
4. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Participants will discuss how to build on the best practices in the BFHI to
achieve mother and baby friendliness throughout the health care system
including non-interventive maternity
care and birthing practices, and to change health worker curricula
accordingly. A discussion of the decline in government, WHO and UNICEF
support for BFHI will take place and recommendations for strengthening the
BFHI in the era of HIV/AIDS will be developed.
5. Globalisation
Participants will discuss the risks and dangers to breastfeeding of the
introduction of transgenic human milk components in infant formula,
genetically-modified foods, and of market liberalisation and globalisation
in general. Concerns over the increasing power of transnational
corporations versus weakening of governments, the role of World Trade
Organisation and related topics will be discussed. Creative ideas for
action are expected to emerge regarding how to build linkages with other
actors working to create a world that puts people first.
6. The International Code
Discuss the Code, and subsequent WHA resolutions, as a unique international
effort to control the marketing activities of baby food comnpanies, in
order to actively protect the health and well-being of babies. Celebrate
the movement's successes (Hall of Fame) and document past and present
industry violations and dirty tricks (Hall of Shame). Participants will be
offered training in code implementation, monitoring and reporting
techniques for use in their own setting.
7. Support for Working Women
Participants will be updated on progress around the world in ratifying and
implementing the new ILO Maternity Protection Convention 183. Join
brainstorming and project planning efforts to extend work on breastfeeding
rights to women working, including the informal sector. Training on
establishing mother-friendly workplaces and child-friendly creches will be
available.
8. Breastfeeding and the Environment
Discuss breastfeeding as an environmentally friendly activity and how
alternative feeding methods have adverse environmental impacts. Every
breastfeeding advocate needs to know how to deal locally with recurring
attacks on breastfeeding, whether intended or not, that result from
environmental scares based on breastmilk contaminants. Join us in reviewing
the scientific data, learning about key statements by environmental health
and justice groups and relevant UN statements, and developing our own
statement and action plan.
9. Outreach to Women's Organisations
Develop ways to build links with organisations working on women's issues
and gender equality and help establish common agendas and actions. Join
the dialogue on women's empowerment and related concerns (e.g. health,
nutrition).
10. International Initiative for Support to Mothers
For the first time ever, WABA is bringing together all the forces working
for the various kinds of support needed by breastfeeding mothers from the
health care and employment sectors, other experienced women, the family and
community. Groups will share their experiences on their early work and
success stories. You are invited to join and help shape this Initiative in
your own area.
The Ten Critical Areas for Action were identified by the 36 participants
from 21 countries of the
Global Breastfeeding Partners Meeting held in Salvador, Brazil, 23-25 July
2001.
Further details regarding registration, travel, accomodations and the Forum
Programme will be available in December 2001. The World Alliance for
Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global people's initiative to protect,
promote and support breastfeeding. WABA acts on the Innocenti Declaration
targets and works in close liaison with the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF). Contact us at: WABA, PO Box 1200, 10850 Penang, Malaysia Tel:
604-658 4816 l Fax: 604-657 2655 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website:
www.waba.org.br www.waba.org.my
---END---
--
This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics.
Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
