Good news for breastfeeding!

IBFAN Delighted with the Nomination of Gro Harlem Brundtland as the new
Director General
of the WHO.

The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) is pleased that the
Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) has nominated Gro
Harlem Brundtland as the next Director General of the WHO.

Dr.  Bruntdland is the former Prime Minister of Norway and during the 1980s
gained
global respect as she headed the Brundtland Commission on environmental issues.
 Her achievements with the United Nations include work on the Rio Conference
on the
environment and the Cairo Conference on population,  health and development.

For those of us working on breastfeeding concerns, Dr. Brundtland comes with
a history of support. As a mother of four breastfed children she has been an
active supporter of
Norway's mother to mother support groups and the positive breastfeeding
protection
measures of her government have been a strong contributing factor to
realizing breastfeeding initiation rates of over 90 per cent.

Her nomination as the next Director General to replace Dr. Hiroshi Nakagima,
who steps down in July of 1998, will be ratified at the World Health
Assembly in May.
The nomination is expected to go through as there is no precedent for
refusing a nomination from the Executive Board.

Elisabeth Sterken
Chair, International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)
INFACT Canada, National Director
Tel: 416 595-9819
Fax: 416 591-9355
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.infactcanada.ca