I appreciate very much the need to put our money where our mouth is and
doing our bit even in a  small way to contribute to our breastfeeding
advocacy and professional groups. I suppose my quandary is that the
conference I attended was 10 hours away by plane. I paid all the
registration dues. I am already a member of my local breastfeeding
groups, plus those in my home country. I subscribe to JHL. I make
donations. While we can all join ILCA we can't all afford to join every
regional or national breastfeeding professional group or advocacy group
in every country as our contribution to the problems of cost and
difficulties with sponsorship. So what can we do when there is nothing
else we can do, by virtue of language or distance? Perhaps when we
register we could add a bit extra as a donation. I think when one is a
visitor to the country for these conferences it very much comes down to
Think Globally but act locally.



I share the frustration because we have a health community here that
will not attend a seminar or conference if 1. it costs them money (or
they cant get it covered by a rep) and 2 there is no free gala food,
free everything. We were instructed while planning our conference that
for a 3 day, international speakers, all meals included, social
activities paid for, conference notes, satchel everything package we
could not charge more than US$80 or NO ONE WOULD COME. Hence by these
standards we will never have a breastfeeding conference here in this
country, unless it is completely paid for by a milk company, and that
can never happen. So there is our reality. Break every ethical and
professional standard or never have a conference.

Meg Kingsley

Lay Breastfeeding Supporter, Dubai UAE

E-Mail :  <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]

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