WBW 2003: Breastfeeding in a Globalised World

Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding and the best possible
complementary feeding for infants and young children in the face of
increasing globalisation is the challenge for World Breastfeeding Week 2003.

In a world where trade agreements, world trade organisation priorities and
the economic interests of transnational corporations over ride the needs of
mothers and children; where policy makers face new barriers in
implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk
Substitutes and the relevant subsequent Resolutions of the World Health
Assembly; where the privatisation of health care and hospitals puts profits
ahead of public health needs and breastfeeding friendly practices; where
global deregulation and harmonisation overrides national policies to
regulate the marketing and labelling of infant feeding products; where
genetic modification of our basic food commodities is pushed through trade
or aid; and where mothers face infant feeding decisions in the face of the
HIV epidemic;  health care workers, institutions, mothers, parents, women's
groups and environmental networks are resorting to new and challenging ways
to ensure that the protection for infant and child health, that is conferred
through breastfeeding, remains safe and sound.

This year we are exploring how we can meet these challenges and create a
people's response to work both at global and local levels: as a global
movement to impact the global structures, and in our local communities to
help build a better environment for mothers and babies. An environment where
the nurturing through breastfeeding is valued and where its protection is
placed above economic priorities.

WBW 2003 Goals
Our goals for World Breastfeeding Week 2003 are:
. To recognise the continued threats to breastfeeding practices
. To realise our capacity and responsibilities to make this a better world
for all
. To respond by joining hands to create a powerful global force for mothers
and babies
. To recapture a breastfeeding culture for our world and for our communities
. To think globally and to act locally

New Challenges
Trade agreements may:
. Challenge a nation's Code implementation or national laws
. Reduce a government's ability to determine national infant feeding
policies, in matters such as: breastfeeding, genetically modified
ingredients, labelling of infant foods, and food safety standards

Increased privatisation means:
. As private health care systems profit, public health systems are weakened
. Decreased accountability of governments
. UN agencies are increasingly losing independence by partnering with
private businesses
. Publicly funded breastfeeding programmes may be undermined e.g. BFHI
. Increased disparity between rich and poor affecting especially women's
health and nutrition

New Opportunities
. Increased cooperation within the breastfeeding movement to address common
problems and issues
. Greater understanding among various civil society organisations (CSO)
working towards global and public justice

Tools for Action
Global tools and networks that breastfeeding advocates can work with:
. International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
. Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, promotion and support of
breastfeeding
. WHO's Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding
. World Health Assembly Resolutions on Infant and Young Child Nutrition
. ILO conventions on maternity protection
. Convention on the Rights of the Child
. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
. Codex Alimanterius Commission
. Millennium Development Goals
. Alliance for a Corporate Free UN
. People's Health Movement

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