Summary: Taking place in Arusha, Tanzania,
this forum will provide a unique
opportunity to discuss, review and
formulate strategies to improve
infant and young child health,
nutrition and care, through the
protection, support and promotion of
breastfeeding, with a focus on the
community.
Forum 2 will focus on lessons the rest of the world can learn from
this unique and age-old breastfeeding culture and ways of
protecting it from today's threats, varying from the baby food
industry and its exploitation of the HIV/AIDS issues to issues
relating to globalisation.
The two main goals of the Forum are:
- To provide an opportunity for rallying world-wide participation in
the movement to protect, support and promote breastfeeding
and childcare;
- To spread awareness on the rights of children and women to
adequate food, health and care, especially in developing
countries.
Key issues for consideration at the forum include the following.
- HIV/AIDS - a strategy to strengthen the protection, promotion
and support of breastfeeding in the face of HIV/AIDS.
- MATERNITY PROTECTION - inspiring the development of regional
and national strategies for implementing the new ILO Convention
183 on Maternity Protection by promoting its ratification.
- THE CODE - continue to strengthen the promotion of the
International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in the
face of the baby food industry's recent marketing initiatives.
- MOTHER SUPPORT - recognise and strengthen mother support
gruops and other community-based support systems.
- BFHI & BIRTHING PRACTICES - extend the Baby-Friendly
Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to include good birthing practices in
order to transform this into a Mother-Baby Friendly Initiative.
Further details regarding registration, travel, accommodation and
the Forum Programme is available on request from the
Conference Organisers.