No ‘sunsetting of the Code ’ please! Babies need vigilence us to be needed IBFAN’s Counter-Call to WHO and UNICEF to STOP 10 year-licence to harm children. published July 2020 and updated in November 2020 No ‘sunset clause’ please!…
World Breastfeeding Week: strengthen what works
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…
Codex Labelling – risky proposals for emergencies
Codex flexible labelling guidelines have serious risks for child health and survival Codex Commission (CAC49) Geneva, Switzerland, 6-10th July Codex Labelling Committee (CCFL49) Ottawa, Canada 11-15 May 2026 “With 117.8 million people forced to flee their homes, facing food…
WHO: 158th Executive Board meeting
priorityIBFAN WEBSITE GUIDE TO THE EB The 158th session of the Executive Board will take place at WHO HQ in Geneva. 2–7 February 2026. WEB STREAMING OF EB158 CLICK HERE for the Agenda and Documentation. Preliminary daily timetable ______________________________________ IBFAN…
IBFAN calls on UNESCO to end its collaboration with Nestlé
IBFAN calls on UNESCO to end its education collaboration with Nestlé IBFAN, the global network that protects breastfeeding and child health, has called on UNESCO to end the “UNESCO x Nestlé Global Youth Grant Scheme “Youth Impact.”[i] Over the past four decades,…
UN General Assembly: US blocks consensus on NCD Declaration
BREAKING: UN Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases Fails to Win Approval After US Foils Consensus Non-Communicable Diseases 25/09/2025 • Elaine Ruth Fletcher WHO website NGO letter Food industry must be held accountable for driving rising obesity and ill health…
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…
IBFAN calls on UNESCO to end its collaboration with Nestlé
IBFAN calls on UNESCO to end its collaboration with Nestlé IBFAN, the global network that protects breastfeeding and child health, has called on UNESCO* to end the “UNESCO x Nestlé Global Youth Grant Scheme “Youth Impact.”[i] Over the past four decades, IBFAN has led…
Corporate Power and Human Rights in Food Systems.
Corporate Power and Human Rights in Food Systems. The final report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Mr. Michael Fakhri will be presented to the UN General Assembly on 17 October 2025. There are many…
Chemical companies block Plastic Pollution Treaty
For more see IBFAN website URGENT | PROFITS OVER LIFE: A PLASTICS TREATY ALREADY DEAD ON ARRIVAL Press release Centre Europe – Tiers Monde (CETIM) – 14 August 2025 From August 5 to 14, 2025, UN Member States met in Geneva…
The Governments 10 Year Health Plan prompts Parliamentary questions
Fit for the Future: The 10 Year Health Plan for England Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care by Command of His Majesty. July 2025 The plan rightly focuses on prevention but, at the…
WHA78: After years of struggle, Resolution on Digital Marketing of baby foods adopted
IBFAN WEBSITEVideo of Side Event WHO webcast. Background Documents. IBFAN interventions Dates EB158 WHA79 Despite a 20% cut in its budget following the USA withdrawal from WHO, Member States made several landmark decisions that should make the world safer…
WHO Member States call for the regulation of Digital marketing of baby foods
Press Release Read on IBFAN’s website WHO Member States call for the regulation of Digital marketing of baby foods 10th February 2025 In the face of the budgetary and political crisis following the USA withdrawal from WHO, the 156th…
WHO EB 156: funding, governance, Digital Marketing, emergencies
156th WHO Executive Board Meeting Feb 3-11th UPDATE ON THE DIGITAL MARKETING RESOLUTION A Draft Decision Regulating the digital marketing of breast-milksubstitutes proposed by 21 Member States (Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Iraq,…
Why WHO is important & why IBFAN is a ‘critical friend’
Why WHO is important and why IBFAN is a ‘critical friend’ The USA announced its intention to withdraw from WHO on 20th January As a ‘critical friend’ of WHO for nearly 50 years, we consider this to be worrying, not…
Plastic Treaty fails: can Codex change and prioritise human and planetory health?
Plastic Treaty fails: can Codex change and prioritise human and planetary health? IBFAN interventions at CAC 47 – Video clips Webcasting of all sessions Documentation of CAC47. Participants Draft Report Stop Press: Sidney Morning Herald investigation into the donations and…
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…
New UNICEF Guidance: Countering Industry Arguments Against Code Implementation: Evidence and Rights-Based Responses
Important UNICEF Guidance CLICK HERE FOR A PDF Countering Industry Arguments Against Code Implementation: Evidence and Rights-Based Responses Guidance for Advocates of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes https://www.globalbreastfeeding collective.org/reports/countering-industry-arguments-against-code-implementation-evidence-and-rights-based Highlights This resource for policymakers and breastfeeding advocates…
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…
COMPILATION: Why Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships are problematic
Compilation: Why Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships are so problematic The need for sound information on infant and young child feeding is at the heart of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and the 20 World Health Assembly Resolutions that have…
COMPILATION: Committee on World Food Security
Committee on World Food Security (CFS) The risks of Multi-stakeholderism, Committee on Food Security, Rome The Code and other safeguards threatened by UN Voluntary Guidelines on Food Will the Food Systems Summit protect human rights and breastfeeding – part…
Brazil and Mexico take the lead as 27 countries call for a Resolution on Digital marketing of baby foods
Brazil and Mexico take the lead as 27 countries call for a Resolution on Digital marketing of baby foods. Digital Marketing is out of control – Brazil calls for a Resolution to protect mothers and babies Guidance on regulatory measures…
Digital Marketing is out of control – Brazil calls for a Resolution to protect mothers and babies
Douglas Nascimento Santana, speaking for Brazil, said that they intend to propose a World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution on the digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes. IBFAN PR EB154. Transcript of EB154 debate. Excerpts MS NSA. EB154 Recordings of IBFAN statements…
Jan 2024:IBFAN statements at the 154th WHO Executive Board Meeting
Agenda Item: 20. Maternal, infant and young child nutrition. WEBCAST AGENDA ITEM 20 – MIYCN rough transcript of EB154 MIYCN PDF of all 6 IBFAN Statements. Recordings of IBFAN statements IBFAN on MIYCN Friday 10pm WHO should be proud of the…
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…
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 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)…
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…
IBFAN at the 76th World Health Assembly
Tuesday 23rd May. The public health NGOs – annoyingly called Non State Actors (NSAs) – who stayed on till 11pm to speak on the Emergency Debate. Standing: Baba Aye. Public Services International, Seated Left Jaume Vidal, HAI, Patti Rundall on…
Will bogus sustainability claims on processed foods save the planet?
Will bogus sustainability claims on processed foods save the planet? GREENWASHING Codex will discuss Sustainability Labelling in Canada this coming week. We know that the corporate-driven food system is wrecking planet, but will bogus, unmonitored sustainability claims make things worse or better? IBFAN…
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…
Lancet Breastfeeding Series: ‘Underhand’ formula milk ads stop millions from breastfeeding, experts say
LANCET BREASTFEEDING SERIES 2023 Global launch event: The Series will be launched at a hybrid event in London at 12:30-14:00 UK time on Wednesday 8th February, co-hosted by The Lancet, WHO and Children in All Policies. More information is available here and it will also…
Beyond football – Pelé’s humanitarian dimension and support for breastfeeding
As we all mourn the loss of Pelé, regarded by many as the world’s greatest football player ever, CLICK HERE for a piece from Kul Gautam, a former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, explaining…
IBFAN Q&A on the Abbott Powdered Milk Formula Scandal
IBFAN Q&A on the ABBOTT scandal Meanwhile, ISDI (the body that represents national and international associations active in this food sector from more than 20 countries on over 6 continents) boasts about the safety of the products of its many…
WHO on World Breastfeeding Week: Foods for infants and young children: a matter of concern?
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/03-08-2022-foods-for-infants-and-young-children–a-matter-of-concern Foods for infants and young children: a matter of concern? 3 August 2022 News release World Breastfeeding Week, held on 1–7 August each year, sparks discussions across the WHO European Region around the growing international concern about infant…
Global trading standards must follow WHO in restricting harmful marketing
Global trading standards must follow WHO in restricting harmful marketing 75th World Health Assembly, Geneva, 22-28th May, 2022 IBFAN, the global network that has helped governments stop harmful marketing of baby feeding products for the last 40 years, attended…
World Food Safety Day – who should be held accountable for the 9 US baby deaths?
World Food Safety Day: who should be held accountable for the 9 US baby deaths? IBFAN Statement 7th June 2022 Above: The baby formula shortage is prompting calls to increase support for breastfeeding, NPR May 30, 2022. “Parents…
IBFAN at the 75th World Health Assembly 22-28th May 2022
Some interesting articles published around this time which might explain the struggle we had getting Codex on the Agenda Global trading standards must follow WHO in restricting harmful marketing Industry Lobbying on WHO Overshadowing Public Health Policy, Researchers Suggest Corporate…
Governments must control their unethical corporations
Governments should control their unethical corporations In June 1992, following the adoption of the first EU Directive on marketing of breastmilk substitutes (infant formula and follow-up formula) in the internal market, the EU adopted an Export Directive (requiring labels in…
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…
NEW WHO report on the scope and impact of digital marketing for the promotion of breast-milk substitutes
NEW WHO report on the scope and impact of digital marketing for the promotion of breast-milk substitutes click here for the report Following on from the 8-country report (Marketing the $55 billion formula milk industry – How marketing influences our decisions…
Update on Nestlé, Ukraine and WHO Foundation
Update on Nestlé, Ukraine and WHO Foundation Full List of Companies That Have Stayed in Russia – And The Ones That Decided to Leave [Updated Weekly] https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/companies-boycotting-russia/ While we watch with horror yet another human catastrophy in Ukraine, we urge…
WHO Model law for the European Region
ENDING INAPPROPRIATE MARKETING OF BREAST-MILK SUBSTITUTES AND FOODS FOR INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN PDF The WHO European Region: protecting the most vulnerable Coinciding with the launch of the new WHO–UNICEF global report: “How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions…
FDA Warns Consumers about Abbott’s Powdered Infant Formula – shortage in USA
The US Government endorsement of artificial feeding has been and continues to be a huge financial benefit to the US formula industries. The US policy has left citizens without Code regulation, baby friendly support and mandatory maternity leave for decades.…
IBFAN warns about corporate influence at WHO Executive Board Meeting
IBFAN statements for the WHO Executive Board Meetings – 24-29th January 2022 See earlier Policy Blog for the Background to the EB Discussion. All the presentations from IBFAN, Civil Society, Member States and WHO can be seen on the WEBCAST…
Protected: Agenda Item 17 Maternal Infant and Young Child Health.
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Baby Food marketing on WHO’s agenda – will the Civil Society voice be stifled?
Baby food marketing on WHO’s agenda – will the Civil Society voice be stifled? WEBCAST of the EB IBFAN STATEMENTS Members of the EB The 150th session of WHO’s Executive Board (EB) 24-29th January. For the first time…