Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in life: strengthen what works The 2026 theme for the World Breastfeeding Week is “Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in life: strengthen what works,” focuses on tracking progress, evaluating impact, and scaling proven approaches…
GLOBAL ACTION NEEDED
GLOBAL ACTION NEEDED ON INFANT FORMULA CONTAMINATION Geneva, Friday 22 May 2026. During the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva IBFAN and ILCA called on Member States to commit to urgent, binding reforms to commercial formula safety standards and…
Lancet: Outrage over UN-Nestlé partnership
Outrage over UN-Nestlé partnership OPEN letter When the UN Partners With the Harm It Is Meant to Prevent Health Policy Watch, Inside View 08/05/2026 • Unni Karunakara An Open Letter, now signed by 600 academics, health-workers and campaigners has…
Stephen Lewis – strong advocate for child rights dies
IBFAN is sad to hear the news that Stephen Lewis, an outspoken champion for Human Rights, died March 31, 2026, at the age of 88. “Those who, for instance, make claims about infant formula that intentionally undermine women’s confidence in…
WHO and UNICEF brief on Global Nutrition Targets 2030
Global Nutrition Targets 2030 Breastfeeding Brief from WHO and UNICEF PDF Overview Exclusive breastfeeding – defined as the practice of only giving an infant breast-milk for the first 6 months of life (no other food or water) – has the single largest…
Case study of Access to Nutrition Initiative’s Global Index
Corporate accountability in food system governance? A case study of the Access to Nutrition Initiative’s Global Index Penelope Milsom, Nathan Dumont-Leblond and David McCoy (2025). Corporate accountability in food system governance? A case study of the Access to Nutrition Initiative’s…
UNICEF Report: Feeding Profit How food environments are failing children.
Feeding Profit How food environments are failing children. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Feeding Profit. How food environments are failing children. Child Nutrition Report 2025, UNICEF, New York, September 2025. Link to full and brief UNICEF report in many languages…
6 lifesaving messages for Gaza and similar settings
6 lifesaving IYCF-E messages for Gaza and similar settings IBFAN WEBSITE Please help share PDF Linkedin and on Facebook. The lack of food, and medical supplies that mothers and families of Gaza face is catastrophic. As the IPC Famine Review report concludes,…
WBW 2025: PRIORITISE BREASTFEEDING – CREATE SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
WBW 2025: PRIORITISE BREASTFEEDING – CREATE SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS World Breastfeeding Week 2025 #WBW2025 will focus on environment and climate change. It will highlight our roles in supporting breastfeeding to create a sustainable environment while simultaneously reducing the impact of climate…
Report shows UK mothers being let down
PRESS RELEASE Monday 23rd March 2025 REPORT SHOWS UK MOTHERS ARE BEING LET DOWN UK Health Professionals lack training on infant feeding Findings from the UK’s second World Breasfeeding Trends Initiative assessment What happens when a breastfeeding mother is…
Codex dithers on sugar and opens door to risky labelling in emergencies and through technology
Codex dithers on sugar and opens door to risky labelling in emergencies. Codex Committee on Food Labelling. CCFL48 27/10/2024 – 01/11/2024 | Quebec City, Canada The WHO/FAO global standards setting body, Codex Alimentarius, met twice in October –in Dresden, Germany…
New Sponsorship resources from WHO
Three new WHO resources support WHO’s recommendation (1) that, in order to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, prevent obesity and noncommunicable diseases, promote healthy diets, and ensure that caregivers receive clear and accurate information on feeding, companies that market foods…
Last chance to Support the addition of Exclusive Breastfeeding as an indicator in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Last chance to support the inclusion of an EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING indicator in the Sustainable Development Goals. DEADLINE Thursday 15th August 2024 Deadline Today: 15th August 2024 Here is the link to the submission page where you can add your details and…
UK News: specialised formulas more likely to fuel obesity
Special baby milk ‘more likely to fuel obesity, tooth decay and digestive problems’ “Nutritionists say nine in 10 babies in the UK given formulas designed for those allergic to cow’s milk do not actually have an allergy.” An Editorial in…
HISTORY OF THE DEADLY FIGHT AGAINST THE FORMULA INDUSTRY
Putting Babies Before Profits- THE HISTORY OF THE DEADLY FIGHT AGAINST THE FORMULA INDUSTRY. Alive and Thrive
COMPILATION: Codex Press Releases and comments
Latest news: IBFAN COMPILATION CODEX COMMITTEE ON NUTRITION AND FOODS FOR SPECIAL DIETARY USES (CCNFSDU) Electronic Working Group (EWG) on a Draft Standard for Foods for Older Infants and Young Children ENCA comment EWG on Processed foods for IYCF…
Digital Marketing is out of control -a WHA Resolution is urgently needed
Digital Marketing is out of control – a Resolution is needed to protect mothers and babies WHO 154th Executive Board, WHO HQ Geneva, 22 27 January- 2024. 2024 is a reporting year for Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) Digital…
Delay, Delay, Delay – industry interference in Sri Lanka
Stop Press: Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times contacted Nestle Lanka about the ‘double standards’ exposé of is added sugar. A spokesperson responded: “We have been providing nutritious, tasty and safe products to Sri Lankans for over 115 years. Our products comply with…
Must read new book: The Bill Gates Problem by Tim Schwab
“The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire” Now available in USA, UK, India, Germany & beyond timschwab2020@gmail.com
Women and Children at Greatest Risk from Climate Crisis
Nestlé and Plastic Pollution. C4 TV documentary: My Family and the Galapagos – 2020 initially sponsored by Nestle – they dropped the sponsorship after I complained. https://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/23937 IBFAN Health and Environmental Impacts 2024 Global Plastics Treaty IBFAN Statement Cop…
WHO Guideline on prevention and management of Wasting
WHO Guideline on prevention and management of Wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition) Information on the GL WHO issues new guideline to tackle acute malnutrition in children under five 20 November 2023 News release Reading time: 2 min (497 words)…
WHO Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age
PDF of Guideline WHO link to GUIDELINE WHO Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 This guideline supersedes the Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child (1)…
Baby Milk Action comments on UK trade strategy.
UK accession to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Inquiry Following the announcement of the UK’s accession on 16 July, the UK International Agreements Committee is reactivating its inquiry into CPTPP and is gathering new evidence, regarding the…
IBFAN comments on WHO Consultation on digital marketing
Online public consultation: draft guidance on regulatory measures aimed at restricting digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes Deadline of submission: 17 September 2023 WHO Guidance on digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes IBFAN response Baby Milk Action Digital 17.9 (the draft guidance…
Summer update – WBW – Global Congress
s World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) – Making a Difference for Working Parents REGISTER HERE for the Global Breastfeeding Coalition Webinar at 2pm Geneva time. The right to maternity protection for mothers who work outside the home is the theme of this…
World Breastfeeding Week – 2023 – Making a difference for Working Parents
The theme of the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week (the annual event run by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action that started in 1992) is ‘Making a Difference for Working Parents’ Some of the social media resources and events taking place:…
Join the debate about SQLNS supplements and the prevention of undernutrition
Join the debate about micronutrient supplements and the prevention of undernutrition You are invited to participate in a debate about an article we published in the journal World Nutrition Vol 14 No 1 (2023) https://worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/issue/view/80 and Issue Vol 14 No 2 (2023). https://worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/issue/view/81…
WHO Hosts the first Global Congress on Code implementation
WHO’s first Global Congress on the implementation of the International Code – baby feeding industry not invited. 20-22 June 2023, WHO HQ, Geneva, Switzerland. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) hosted the first Global…
WHO’s first Global Congress on the Code
WHO Global Congress on the Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes This Congress was a first for WHO since the Code’s adoption in 1981. For three days, over 400 delegates from 130 countries, worked in Plenary and in…
Is “small quantity lipid nutrition supplement” (SQ-LNS) a sustainable and pragmatic strategy to prevent malnutrition?
World Nutrition Issue Vol 14 No 1 (2023) Is “small quantity lipid nutrition supplement” (SQ-LNS) a sustainable and pragmatic strategy to prevent malnutrition? PDF of WN article Introduction by Ted Greiner. Arun Gupta, Dr IBFAN Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest -India(NAPi)…
WBC4. IBFAN’s World Breastfeeding Conference in CAIRO
IBFAN’s World Breastfeeding Conference in Cairo organised by IBFAN ARAB WORLD Promo video of the Event WBC4 Call to Action (12) Spanish Portuguese French Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Steve Wearne. Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission 2 minute welcome. 7 Minute Codex…
COP27 – Can lessons be learned and the UPF trade controlled?
COP27 – Can lessons be learned and the UPF trade controlled? Extinction Rebellion mass ‘nurse-in’ . Westminster, London October 2019 Photo: Helena Smith IBFAN Cop 27 ENG IBFAN COP27 ES COP27 – IBFAN FR As world leaders meet in Sharm El-Sheikh,…
4 new WHO reports expose marketing by the $55 billion formula milk industry
Dr Tedros explains why the predatory marketing baby feeding products can harm children and announces the new WHO reports on predatory marketing. WHO UNICEF multi-country report – How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding WHO report…
NEW: WHO UNICEF IBFAN -National implementation of the Code Status report 2022
Marketing of breastmilk substitutes: national implementation of the international code, status report 2022 WHO UNICEF IBFAN https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/354221 This report provides updated information on the status of implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (BMS) and subsequent relevant…
NEW Joint Statement on Ukraine crisis – protecting mothers and children
Link to Baby Milk Action Blog. Infant feeding in emergencies – links to blogs IYCF_Joint-Statement-V2-06052022-EN IYCE Hub for more information Joint Statement Protecting Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the Ukraine Conflict and Refugee Crisis Version 2: May 2022…
Why formula donations can be a risk – examples from Ukraine and Myanmar
Formula distribution in Myanmar: Here is a Facebook page shows free distribution of Nature One formula (follow-up) in Myanmar. The actress Khine Hnin Wai who runs a charity orphanage (who also appears to be the brand ambassador), says in the video that…
WATCH the 40th Anniversary Code and Global Breastfeeding Protection Day
40th Anniversary of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and launch of World Breastfeeding Protection Day. 21 May 2021 WATCH THE EVENT HERE IBFAN films created by IBFAN Mexico and Brazil IBFAN film 7 minutes IBFAN Chronology:…
Why the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Initiative is a threat to child health.
Powerpoint presentations: N4G GBC (2) Multistakeholder power Why the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) global pledging initiative is a threat to child health – how industry infiltrates the baby food policy space. “At a time when poverty rates, economic disparity,…
How companies exploit the COVID-19 crisis
How companies are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic pretending their marketing through digital social media is ‘Humanitarian’ and that their products build immunity. Examples of Nestlé’s widespread promotion of NanGrow 3 – for babies over one. Nestlé implies that the addition…
COVID-19 WHO and UNICEF stress the importance of breastfeeding
COVID-19 WHO and UNICEF stress the importance of breastfeeding WHO and UNICEF are aiming to have consistent, sound reliable information based on the best available scientific evidence – guidance that will be updated as new evidence comes forward. We hope…
IBFAN’s Counter-Call to WHO and UNICEF to STOP 10 year-licence to harm children.
This blog was published in July 2020 and updated in November 2020 STOP Press: Of the seventeen responses to the Call to Action- none meet the criteria. Time to move on and focus on helping governments legislate? Statements of support…
LLL and FIAN International, join IBFAN’s Counter Call
Support for IBFAN’s Statement re WHO/UNICEF “Call to Action” 26 October 20 Categories: News From LLLI, Uncategorized La Leche League International (LLLI), as an international breastfeeding support organization, has a responsibility to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding by upholding the…
Former UNICEF Deputy Exec. Directors join IBFAN’s Counter Call
Kul Gautum, former deputy executive director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations LINK Dear Charlotte, It has come to my attention and that of many UNICEF retirees, that in June 2020, UNICEF and WHO along with several…
Codex ignores risks to health and the planet of the global trade of ultra-processed foods.
Codex boosts the trade of UPFs, ignoring the risks to health and the planet. The 43rd Codex Commission (CAC43) is meeting this week ( 24, 25, 26 September) and will discuss some important issues. Thankfully, CAC is much more…
WHO UNICEF: World Breastfeeding Week 2020 Message
World Breastfeeding Week 2020 Message Joint message: UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus 31 July 2020 Statement The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”. In line with…
Webinars: Protecting Breastfeeding in the time of Covid-19
You are welcome to join this Webinar on Protecting Breastfeeding in the Time of COVID-19: Implementation of the Code in Asia on Wednesday June 24 at 2:00PM Bangkok time. To participate please register HERE as soon as possible.
Launch of WBTi Evaluation 12 June – Tracking National actions makes a difference
“Making A Difference- An Evaluation Report of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) in Mobilising National Actions on Breastfeeding and IYCF: 2020”. Date: 12 June 2020, 01:00 PM (GMT) To participate please register HERE Executive Summary Full Report Press Release …
Shocking gaps in emergency preparedness for Europe’s babies, new report shows
PRESS RELEASE Split, Croatia Thursday, 4th June 2020 Summary report Full report Press Release. Research article The Covid 19 pandemic has shown how important it is for countries to protect their…
PRESS RELEASE: Launch of the WHO UNICEF IBFAN Global Code Report. Recordings and presentations
WHO has published the recording and presentations of the launch here: Access password: CLICK HERE #Code2020 Download presentations Remarks on behalf of IBFAN Mexico 2020 Code Status Report results and findings Code violations in Indonesia The Practitioner view Moderator: Chris…
When the SUN casts a shadow – the human rights risks of multi-stakeholder partnerships
Full report: ENGLISH FRENCH SPANISH 4-page brief February 24, 2020 When the SUN casts a shadow New research study sheds light on the human rights risks of the Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) In the past two decades ‘multi-stakeholder’ partnerships have…