Dear friends,

WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) announces the creation of a
new webpage on the breastfeeding rights of working women, probably the most
neglected component of any breastfeeding promotion stategy. The site is
full of useful new information  but most importantly WABA is using this as
the way to initiate its new campaign.

Did you know that right now your country is busy answering a questionnaire
for the ILO that will set the international for so-called maternity
protection for years to come? Most countries pattern their legislation on
maternity benefits for working women after the ILO Conventions but ILO's
suggested new convention includes very few improvements over the original
convention of 1919!

We CAN influence this! We can help create a new international norm to
ensure that working women everywhere get the support they need, for example
to exclusively breastfeed their babies for several months. BUT we need to
act fast. Countries have only until June 30, 1998 to repond to the ILO
questionnaire. They now are expected to request input from key actors, but
for ILO this means unions and employers' organizations, not ministries of
health and certainly now groups interested in breastfeeding.

But WABA provides you with the information you need to make a difference in
your country. Please share this information with all you know who are
concerned about breastfeeding. Think of people you know even in small
countries--because every country's input counts!

The address of the new website is http://www.elogica.com.br/waba/working.htm


Denise Arcoverde
WBW Coordinator
===============
Origem site: http://www.elogica.com.br/aleitamento
Waba site: http://www.elogica.com.br/waba
Personal site: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/3176
ICQ Number: 4127955
Tel/fax: 55.81.4327701
WBW'98 - "Breastfeeding - The Best Investment"