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…
Managing Severe Acute Malnutrition/Severe Wasting
Global Action Plan (GAP) on child wasting* During the WHO Executive Board (3-8th January) WHO conducted a very short consultation on this new plan. Baby Milk Action Response NAPi India Response (a national think tank on nutrition) The final Plan proposes…
No ‘sunset clause’ please! NGOs call for vigilance on harmful marketing
Press Release PDF No ‘sunset clause’ please! NGOs call for vigilance on harmful marketing WHO Executive Board meeting, Geneva, 7th February 2020 Civil society NGOs attending WHO’s Executive Board meeting ahead of the May World Health Assembly are protesting against…
WHO Executive Board Meeting: Biennial Reporting on the International Code under threat
WHO Executive Board Meeting, 3 February 2020 – 8 February 2020, WHO Headquarters, Geneva Event website WEBCAST HERE SEE Press release HERE IBFAN made interventions on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nurition (Agenda Item 18 see Friday pm webcast…
World in Progress: Who decides what’s healthy? Private donors impacting WHO’s health policies
World in Progress: Who decides what’s healthy? Private donors impacting WHO’s health policies The current Corona virus outbreak highlights the importance or international coordination in health, and the World Health Organization plays and important role in that. But as UN…
WHO: Secretariat bypasses FENSA restrictions on private sector secondments
WHO: Secretariat bypasses FENSA restrictions on private sector secondments through “Nil-Remuneration Contracts” TWN Info Service on Health Issues (Jan2020/01) Third World Network Geneva, 29 January 2020(TWN) – The secondment of industry personnel to the World Health Organization (WHO) under “Nil-Remuneration”…
Court condemns Nestlé for violating Swiss Labour Law regarding its food safety manager
PRESS RELEASE Court condemns Nestlé for violating Swiss Labour Law Mrs. Yasmine Motarjemi v. Société des Produits Nestlé SA (formerly Nestec SA) Yasmine Motarjemi, Ph.D., holds an M.Sc. degree in food science and technology from the University of Languedoc, Montpellier,…
Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition – Draft One
IBFAN is a member of Food and Nutrition working group of the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). We regularly contribute to the deliberations of the CSM-CFS through the WG. Presently, the CFS is…
Are the Exclusive Breastfeeding targets holding back further action?
Several countries now exceed the targets for Exclusive Breastfeeding by 2025. Some are interpreting the targets as optimum rather than interim – and this may be holding back further action that could save childrens lives. Interpreting the World Health Assembly…
Hundreds of civil society organizations worldwide denounce World Economic Forum´s takeover of the UN
Press Release Hundreds of civil society organizations worldwide denounce World Economic Forum´s takeover of the UN As corporate executives fly into Davos for the annual meetings of the World Economic Forum, more than 400 civil society organizations and 40 international…
Nestlé under fire again
Milk for older babies Nestlé struggles to win over baby formula critics By Jessica Davis Plüss This content was published on January 10, 2020 11:00 AM Jan 10, 2020 Growing-up milk, specially-formulated for older infants, generated the majority of sales growth…
WHO evaluation of Framework for Engagement with Non State Actors (FENSA)
Evaluation of WHO’s Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA), November 2019. WHO Evaluation Office _____________________________________________ We have been calling on WHO to carry out a thorough, open and transparent evaluation of FENSA ever since this Framework was adopted in…
World Economic Forum´s takeover of the UN
Press Release Hundreds of civil society organizations worldwide denounce World Economic Forum´s takeover of the UN September 26, 2019 Hundreds of civil society organizations worldwide denounce World Economic Forum´s takeover of the UN The call, made in an open letter,…
Codex Committee for Africa – new proposal by IBFAN
FAO/WHO COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR AFRICA 23rd Session. Nairobi, Kenya, 2-6 September 2019 Background papers Please contact your government for support for IBFAN’s PROPOSAL FOR NEW WORK CONCERNING A REGIONAL STANDARD FOR THE LABELLING AND ADVERTISING OF BREASTMILK SUBSTITUTES AND OTHER…
Bolton, Trump, Johnson – how food standards get lowered
“…Bolton “screamed that I was fired” when she refused to lobby for a weakening of restrictions on the sale of infant formula in the developing world… ” Lynne Finney, former legal adviser to the U.S. Agency, 1982 John Bolton, President…
IBFAN comment on EFSA open session on age of introduction of baby foods
IBFAN comment on EFSA Public Consultation on the draft scientific opinion on appropriate age for introduction of baby foods. 93rd NDA Plenary Meeting in Parma. – 3rd July 2019 Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) After attending the…
Why ‘No Deal’ would be a disaster for human health
Why ‘No Deal’ would be a disaster for human health While EU Legislation on baby food marketing fails to meet WHO marketing requirements on several important areas (1) in terms of food safety and Human Rights, EU laws are some…
Public Health England finds Snacks for babies contain ‘unacceptable’ amounts of sugar
Important new report published by Public Health England Foods and drinks aimed at infants and young children: evidence and opportunities for action Foods_and_drinks_aimed_at_infants_and_young_children_June_2019 In January 2016 the European Parliament – led by the Greens – vote for big reductions in…
Companies Pushed Baby Formula in Peru Despite Ban
New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/06/10/world/americas/ap-lt-peru-baby-formula-marketing.html Companies Pushed Baby Formula in Peru Despite Ban By The Associated Press June 10, 2019 LIMA, Peru — Nestle and other multinational companies pushed expensive baby formula to a low-income community near Peru’s capital despite the…
IBFAN highlights risks of WHO’s Governance reforms at the Executive Board meeting
145th WHO Executive Board. 29-30th May 2019 The 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva has now ended CLICK here for IBFAN’s statements. We are also tracking WHO’s transformation processes and governance reforms – and will deliver the statement below today…
IBFAN protecting child health at the 72nd World Health Assembly
With Fedora Bernard, Katie Campbell, Britta Boutry Stadelmann IBFAN’s team is covering this year’s World Health Assembly that is taking place in Geneva from 20-28th May. It will be followed by a 2-day meeting of the Executive Board (EB). You…
Commercial interests, transparency, and independence: a call for submissions
PDF Commercial interests, transparency, and independence: a call for submissions. Help the move towards independence from commercial interests. Submissions are welcome from now, with a final deadline of 15 January 2020. Ray Moynihan assistant professor 1, Helen Macdonald UK research…
IBFAN’s 3rd Breastfeeding Conference:Breastfeeding and healthy complementary feeding.
Sign up for IBFAN’s 3rd Breastfeeding Conference: Breastfeeding and healthy complementary feeding. Rio Nov 11-15th http://www.enam.org.br/ingles/index.php The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) with the support of the Government of Brazil and public universities, proudly host a joint meeting of…
EAT-Lancet Commission’s report on sustainable health and planetary boundaries
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/unhealthy-diet-bigger-killer-than-tobacco/articleshow/68759153.cms https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/science/diet-vegetables.html I attended the debate on the EAT-Lancet Commission’s report on sustainable health and planetary boundaries on 20th February 2019. The report recommends radical changes to a low meat/high veg diet and more sustainable, extensive farming…
Royal College of Pediatrics will no longer accept funding from formula companies
Click here and here for previous blogs. Click here for Quartz article Royal college stops taking funding from formula milk firms BMJ 2019; 364 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l743 (Published 14 February 2019) Cite this as: BMJ 2019;364:l743 https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/rcpch-statement-relationship-formula-milk-companies RCPCH statement on relationship…
Risks of WHO and Privately Funded groups
WHO’s Plan to Jointly Work With Privately-Funded Groups Threatens Its Credibility A number of non-state actors seeking renewal of their official relation status with the WHO receive funding from pharmaceutical, food and alcohol industries. WHO Executive Board holding its 144th…
New articles on conflicts of interest and other things
Broadening its donor base and non-state actors – Does WHO really have a choice when it comes to financing? Priti Patnaik. Weekly IHP news: http://www.internationalhealthpolicies.org/ ___________________________________________________________ Article on WHO by Alison Katz. Le Courrier 20.1.2019 Health for All https://lecourrier.ch/2019/01/20/liberer-loms-du-joug-neoliberal/ HforAll40yearsSept2018…
IBFAN at WHO’s Executive Board: tackling commercialisation of health care systems
Good article in Health Policy Watch 24th January – 1st February I’ve been at the WHO Executive Board meeting since 24th January – joining IBFAN GIFA colleagues Alessia Bigi and Fedora Bernard and partner…
UK Paediatricians protest at formula company sponsorship of RCPCH Conference in Egypt
Paediatricians and heath campaigners have written to the President of the UK Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to protest about its decision to allow an international conference in Egypt to be sponsored by baby food companies Nestlé,…
Trust WHO: The Business of Global Health
STOP PRESS: April 2020Vimeo removes the film “trustWHO” which depicts the hidden practices of the WHO Trust WHO: The Business of Global Health Investigating the hidden motives behind actions of the World Health Organisation and the real powers that control…
Indian media coverage: Are baby food makers driving overdiagnosis of cow milk allergy? Doctors call on Government
Recent articles: The Times of India and Telegraph (India) Are baby food makers driving overdiagnosis of cow milk allergy Rema Nagarajan | TNN Doctors raise baby food alert Call to govt to act against covert promotion G.S. Mudur in New…
Baby Milk Action response:EU Brexit Consultation – The Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018
UK Brexit Consultation. The Nutrition (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 Baby Milk Action Comment Baby Milk Action IBFAN UK EU Chronology Consultation description This two week consultation conducted by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) ended on Friday 14th.…
Time to call a halt to Multi-Stakeholder Platforms – including the EU Platform for Action on Diet Physical Activity and Health.
Joint meeting of the High Level Group on Nutrition and Physical Activity and the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health on 26 October 2018, in Luxembourg Joint Meeting Agenda Platform Agenda Minutes of the Platform meeting…
IBFAN’s comments after the Frankfurt meeting convened by Meridian Institute
IBFAN’s comments after the Frankfurt meeting convened by Meridian Institute Thanks to GIFA for this post. News > IBFAN’s comments after the Frankfurt meeting convened by Meridian Institute Despite IBFAN’s November 2017 Call to Action, Meridian Institute (MI) convened the…
Urgent call to protect child health from harmful trade rules
The UN committee that deals with trade – the Codex Committee on Nutrition – will be meeting in Berlin from 24th -30th November 2018. CLICK HERE for background This is a critically important meeting for child health and IBFAN and…
The resurgent influence of big formula:Education on infant feeding must not be left to industry
14_Press_Cutting_bmj.k3577.full BMJ 2018;362:k3577 doi: 10.1136/bmj.k3577 (Published 23 August 2018) The resurgent influence of big formula Education on infant feeding must not be left to industry Natalie S Shenker Human Milk Foundation In May, word spread from the World Health…
New UNICEF report: 78 million newborns at risk when breastfeeding is delayed
New UNICEF Report: CAPTURE THE MOMENT: Early initiation of breastfeeding: The best start for every newborn http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infantfeeding/capture-moment-early-initiation-bf-report.pdf?ua=1 Al Jazeera and news agencies UNICEF: 78 million newborns at risk when breastfeeding is delayed Babies should be breastfed within an hour of…
More media coverage following President Trump’s tweet.
The media coverage following the New York Times exposé continues with over 600 online editorial articles and about 900 social media posts. Below are just some of the recent articles and programs including one from 2015 that gives an insight…
Conflicts of Interest and US pressure at the Codex meeting in Rome
41st CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy. 2-6 July 2018 REPORT CLICK HERE for press release on the Codex Nutrition meeting in Germany, December 2017 See Consultation Page for our latest submission on the proposed structure for a revised…
What’s all the fuss about? Q&A on 2018 World Health Assembly
U.S. Opposition to Breast-Feeding Resolution Stuns World Health Officials followed by a Tweet by President Trump that this was all ‘fake news’. Consensus text proposed by Botswana, Ecuador, The Gambia, Ghana, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Senegal shared with…
U.S. Opposition to Breast-Feeding Resolution Stuns World Health Officials
CLICK HERE for stories so far: CLICK HERE for the The New York Times‘ Editorial Board denouncement of the United States’ bullying at the World Health Assembly. U.S. Opposition to Breast-Feeding Resolution Stuns World Health Officials A Brooklyn mother unable…
Draft Council conclusions Healthy Nutrition for Children: The Healthy Future of Europe
Draft Council conclusions Healthy Nutrition for Children: The Healthy Future of Europe Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council session on 22 June 2018 Conclusions on “Healthy nutrition for children: The healthy future of Europe” On 26 April 2018,…
UK Health Select Committee on childhood obesity includes Early Years at last
CLICK HERE for background papers 5Early years and schools Early years 60.The first 1000 days (from conception to a child’s second birthday) are widely considered to be the most formative in a child’s development, with health behaviours already heavily…
Tackling Conflicts of Interest at the Zero Hunger Conference in Ecuador
The Third Zero Hunger Summit brought together experts from 35 countries and nine presidents to analyze mechanisms to combat nutrition problems in the Ecuadorian city of Cuenca. Several former presidents, including Oscar Arias (Costa Rica) and Nobel Peace Prize winner…
New ‘final’ draft 14 May: Help get a strong World Health Assembly Resolution that protects mothers and babies.
Please tweet your MP and the following people to ask the UK to support a strong Resolution next week. Remind them that the protection of breastfeeding and conflict of Interest safeguards are urgently needed for babies everywhere. http://www.babymilkaction.org/archives/17081 Penny Mordaunt @PennyMordaunt …
40 years ago, the Kennedy Hearings put the baby food industry under the spotlight
US Senate Hearings, Infant formula in Developing countries, 23rd May 1978 This is an important compilation of excerpts of the testaments given at the Senator Edward Kennedy Hearing. The Hearing helped prompt the eventual adoption of the International Code in…
Changes to the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Changes to the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative IBFAN together with 4 other breastfeeding organisations ( WABA, ILCA, LLLI and the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Network of Industrialized Nations, Central and Eastern European Nations and Independent States (BFHI Network) have worked over the past months on the…
WHO in the claws of the lobbyists – on You tube
WHO: in the claws of the lobbyists? L’OMS : dans les griffes des lobbyistes ? This documentary film by Arte was broadcast in 2017 and is now available on Youtube. This is a hard hitting film featuring several IBFAN partners…
Conflicts of Interest concerns about three members of WHO’s new High-level Commission on NCDs
In response to the call for comments on WHO’s proposals for an Independent Global High-level Commission on NCDs I sent the comments below, outlining our serious concerns about the appropriateness of three of the proposed Commissioners, who will have an ‘advisory’ role: Arnaud…
G2H2 the Geneva Global Health Hub – pre meeting before
WHO governance: The conversation continues Civil society meetings related to WHO EB142, 19-20 January 2018 Baby Milk Action is a member of the Geneva Global Health Hub G2H2 that was launched during a civil society side event at the 69th World…