Nestle advert in Hong Kong Metro
TWN on FENSA: Concerns that “official relations” are used for promoting business interests
Here is a piece from Third World Network, who like IBFAN have been following WHO’s interactions with the private sector WHO: Concerns that “official relations” are used for promoting business interestsGeneva, 16 July (TWN) – The collaboration work plan that the…
IBFAN submission on Codex
IBFAN has submitted the attached comments to the Codex Alimentarius electronic Working Group for the revision of the Standard for Follow-up Formula. IBFAN 2nd CP Submitters response FINAL These are supported by IACFO. ENCA2015 eWG Consultation 2_ENCA Comments Please forward…
Ongoing discussions about FENSA
IBFAN concerns about Ongoing discussions about WHO’s Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) CLICK HERE for the text As part of WHO’s Reform process, Member States of WHO have been for over 4 years discussing a policy for engagement with external actors.…
Bad TTIP news from the European Parliament
The following texts are taken from a Friends of the Earth and War on Want messages Friends of the Earth: 8 JULY 2015 The European Parliament today expressed its support for the TTIP trade negotiations between the European Union and…
IBFAN speaking at UN Working Group on TNCs and human rights
Camille Selleger, IBFAN -GIFA making an oral presentation on General Comments in Geneva FNALGIFA Oral Statement_PANEL_V_CONTENT_ETOs UN Open-ended intergovernmental working group (OEIWG) on Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, is meeting in UN Geneva…
Iraq’s new Code
Ghada Sayed, IBFAN’s Regional Coordinator for IBFAN Arab World (IAW) has reported new achievement in the region. Iraq issued a Code for Protection and promotion of breastfeeding that was put in the Iraqi gazette on 27 th of April 2015. http://www.moj.gov.iq/uploaded/4362.pdf
Launch of the Civil Society CRC report
Mike Brady, Helen Gray, myself and Alison Thewliss at the launch of the Children’s Right’s Alliance Civil Society alternative report on the UK implementation of the CRC. Portcullis House 1st July 2015. CRAE_NGO-REPORT_WEB See Page 22 Paras 134 and 135…
WHO DG on Ending Childhood Obesity
WHO Director-General addresses Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity Hong Kong 22nd June CLICK HERE for the speech by Dr Chan at the Third meeting of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 22 June…
Debate on Breastfeeding in the House of Commons, Westminster Hall
See Alison Thewliss Scottish National Party, MP for Glasgow Central (above) leading the debate in the debate on Breastfeeding that took place yesterday – 24th June 2015 WEBCAST (the final item for the day, starts at 4:30 PM) HANSARD (Column 319WH) Do…
More useful links on the risks of free trade deals (TTIP and TPP)
More useful links on the risks of free trade deals (TTIP and TPP) The Consequences of Free Trade Useful 11 minute film published by teleSURon 18th June: CLICK HERE Richard Seymour picks apart the controversial deal, and harshly criticizes the international media…
IBFAN at the 68th WHA May 2015 – draft FENSA is published
CLICK HERE for the Framework for Engagement of Non State Actors (FENSA) as it was left at the end of the Assembly. The proceedings of the Plenary and Committee Room discussions at the World Health Assembly were web streamed for the…
Defend the World Health Organization from corporate takeover
The Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) incorporating amendments by a drafting group adopted on the final day of the WHA : CLICK HERE For comment see my Policy blog Press release below. CLICK Here forIBFAN’s Press release 18th May…
OXFAM and Global Justice Now keep an eye on DFID and PPPs
DFID and the privatisation of health and education by Jessica Hamer, Health Policy Advisor, Oxfam POSTED BY MOHGA KAMAL-YANNI ON JUN 8TH, 2015 Following on from the UK government’s advocacy that WHO should speedily adopt its seriously flawed Framework on Non State Actors (FENSA) this…
News update – lead in Maggi noodles and more….
Criminal Complaint Accuses Nestlé India of High Lead Levels in Maggi Noodles Food inspectors say they found seven-times the permissible level of lead in a routine test By PREETIKA RANA Wall Street Journal, May…
Latin American Food and Beverage industries
Alliance Latin American associations of the industry of food and beverages Declaration of QUITO 10 and March 11, 2015 ALIAB declaración vs regulaciones e impuestos
WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence
IBFAN Press Release19.5.15 for PDF WHO opens the doors wide to corporate influence 68th World Health Assembly, UN Palais, Geneva 18th May 2015 The long-running debate about how WHO interacts with corporations is coming to crisis point. In the context of its…
Letters urging EU Commissioners to protect child rights
The New version of the proposals HERE Below are PDFs of letters to the European Commissioners We have asked the Secretary General of the Commission to ensure that the views of all the relevant DGs are taken into account, not…
Tributes to Sheila Kitzinger, Baby Milk Action Advisor
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/apr/12/sheila-kitzinger Everyone at Baby Milk Action was sad news to hear the news that one of our advisors, Sheila Kitzinger, died on Saturday 11th April, aged 86. Sheila was an author, anthropologist and strong advocate of breastfeeding,…
MEPs call for a rethink on the new Baby milk laws
MEPs call for a rethink on the new EU laws on formulas and baby foods Member States Experts meeting, Brussels 20th April CLICK here for background papers Along with health advocates around the world we have decried new rules on baby formulas…
A list of resources on the G7/8 New Alliance
Thanks to Jean Blaylock, Coordinator of the UK Food Group for sharing this list of resources on the G7/8 New Alliance that has been compiled by civil society groups in Africa and G8 countries: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ic7MJbh-Af4mIT0avk1NN0sVJMyb5CQ8PBcJPkF1OQ8/edit?usp=sharing This includes reports/briefings/case studies, civil society public…
Gates Foundation and clarification on IBFAN funding policy
Below are some media and research articles about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) along with a Clarification of IBFAN’s funding policy. Don’t reduce the global poor to potential consumers By treating health care as a commodity, Gates…
Breastfeeding as a water conservation strategy?
As we struggle to persuade the EU Commission to made the much needed changes in the new regulations covering the marketing of baby foods and formulas, we are told that the only real opportunity for new laws is in the…
some interesting media stories
Nestle, PepsiCo and others ‘use public funds to develop harmful snacks’ Obesity charities say Innovate UK should not be paying multinationals to invent an energy-efficient chocolate machine or a new way to dry potatoes CLICK HERE http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/14/nestle-pepsico-and-others-use-public-funds-to-develop-harmful-snacks _________________ The Guardian Brazilian…
New WHO consultations
1 WHO Framework of engagement with non-State actors CLICK HERE for the background information http://www.who.int/about/who_reform/non-state-actors/en/ Textual proposals submitted by Member States on the draft overarching framework of engagement with non-State actors and the four specific policies contained in the Annex of document…
International Women’s Day – where are the women?
In a few hours, Nestlé whistleblower Syed Aamir Raza, Mike Brady and I will join IBFAN friends in Italy – where Tigers will be shown in the oldest cinema in Florence to celebrate International Women’s Day . (1) Its been a busy…
New EU rules will trick parents into buying expensive and unnecessary products that will fuel the obesity crisis
PDF: IBFANBFLG EU PR 24.2.15v3 CLICK HERE for BFLG briefing PRESS RELEASE 24 February 2015 New EU rules will trick parents into buying expensive and unnecessary products that will fuel the obesity crisis Health advocates from across Europe have decried new rules…
new proposals for EU Regulations on Formulas and baby foods
IBFAN BFLG comment 27.2.15.2 IBFAN and the Baby Feeding Law Group is mounting a campaign to change some new Commission Proposals for revised regulations on formulas and baby foods. 4 Working Documents are being discussed this week in Brussels. IBFAN believes…
WHO EB meeting tackles Conflicts of Interest
CLICK HERE for an Italian article in Il Manifesto, Tanto zucchero please, siamo italiani about the controversy surrounding WHO’s Sugar Guidelines and the Conflicts of Interest on the Italian Delegation. Tanto zucchero please, siamo italiani CLICK HERE for a new BMJ…
WHO warned of risks of commercial exploitation of Ebola
WHO warned of risks of commercial exploitation of Ebola WHO Special session on Ebola, 25th January 2015, Geneva At today’s special session on Ebola, IBFAN, together with Public Services International (PSI) and Health Innovation in Practice (HIP) called on WHO to prevent…
Nestlé’s Wyeth promotes the BabyNes machine in Asia
Look what Nestle is doing in Asia – Wyeth must has been assigned the task of promoting BabyNes to the rich in Asia. http://youtu.be/yzND0BBTSDk See Press Release article about this machine http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease28sep11
Formula feeding is the formula for disaster for the environment, say experts!
Series – 9 , December 2014 Formula feeding is the formula for disaster for the environment, say experts! BPNI / IBFAN Asia’s latest publication “Formula for Disaster: weighing the impact of formula feeding Vs breastfeeding on environment” is out now. The path breaking…
Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO)
IBFAN Statement on ECHO WHO Executive Board Meeting January 201 ECHO shortFINAL2 After representing IBFAN at the Civil Society Hearing of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) on 14th October, we wrote this letter to explain our concerns about the…
Funding appeal from our partners in India
Funding appeal from our partners in India They need 40 unique donors and 5000 Dollars by 31st December to secure a permanent place on the GlobalGiving website. This is shortest way to go there http://goto.gg/19037 Save Infants’ Lives by Promoting Breastfeeding http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/save-infants-lives-by-promoting-breastfeeding/ …
New information on WHO Framework of engagement with non-state actors
The WHO Secretariat input for the upcoming WHO EB session is available now: · EB136/5 Framework of engagement with non-State actors · EB136/INF./2 Framework of engagement with non-State actors Information on regional committee debate
Santa Claus resigns
Here’s a Christmas message from our partners in Mexico Santa Claus resigns Dec 15, 2014 This year Santa Claus made a tough decision: since his kidnapping in 1931 by a beverage company, he is resigning from his captors. He refuses…
BMJ’s new Conflict of Interest Policy
CLICK HERE BMJ’s new Conflict of Interest Policy Editor’s Choice The milk debate, conflicts of interest, and our Christmas appeal Fiona Godlee, editor in chief, The BMJ fgodlee@bmj.com CLICK HERE ….Elsewhere we announce our new more stringent policy on financial conflicts of…
Nestlé bottled water dropped from EXPO 2015 in Milan following protests
Nestlé bottled water dropped from EXPO 2015 in Milan following protests 18 December 2014 The International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) welcomes the decision of the Swiss government to modify its plans to promote Nestlé’s brand image at the Swiss…
Thinking Forward: The Quicksand of Appeasing the Food Industry
PLoS Med. Jul 2012; 9(7): e1001254. Published online Jul 3, 2012. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001254 PMCID: PMC3389029 Thinking Forward: The Quicksand of Appeasing the Food Industry Kelly D. Brownell* Author information ► Copyright and License information ► This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. This article was…
Two new studies on breastfeeding rates
1Potential economic impacts from improving breastfeeding rates in the UK ▸ Additional material is published online only. To view please visit the journal online (http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2014-306701). What this study adds: ▸ Use of breast milk substitutes is associated with a raised…
Stop TTIP – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
Free Public Event tonight. TTIP Take Back the Power flyer Baby Milk Action is working alongside the growing number of NGOs, Unions and citizens such as War on Want, Trade Justice Movement, WDM and 38 Degrees and 120 organizations from 18 different…
Nestlé water turned into cups at Milan Expo
Campaign Success: Nestlé water turned into cups at Milan Expo Today I received the response below to my letter from Ambassador Nicolas Bideau – explaining the changes that are being made to the Water Towers at Switzerland’s pavilion at the Expo…
Global Nutrition Report
I attended the launch of the Global Nutrition Report at the House of Commons on Tuesday 2nd December. I picked up on something said by lead author Lawrence Haddad about Maharashtra (see below) and the appropriate role for industry. I made a…
Trade vs Health – global meeting fails to safeguard infant and young child health
Trade vs Health – global meeting fails to safeguard infant and young child health Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary UsesBali, Indonesia 24-28th November 2014 CLICK HERE for PDF version Infant and young child feeding was once…
News from Codex in Bali
Codex Nutrition meeting in Bali. CLICK HERE for papers The IBFAN team is facing big challenges at the Codex meeting in Bali. The most important is perhaps the proposal for a revision of the Follow-up Formula (FUF) Standard. Many countries including India,…
Italy arrests doctors suspected of taking bribes to discourage breast feeding
STOP PRESS Following the exposure of the paediatricians arrested for bribery in Tuscany, (see below) the local Minister of Health yesterday signed a protocol with UNICEF for the promotion of BFH-BFC I and gave as a present to all the…
Nourishing – new policy database
Below is a message from Corinna Hawkes of the World Cancer Research Fund International about a new policy database called Nourishing Dear colleagues, As the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) approaches (19-21 November), we’re pleased to let you know that…
Nestlé to promote its bottled water in EXPO 2015
IBFAN called on EXPO 2015 to stop Nestlé promotion IBFAN has written to Ambassador Nicolas Bideau, Director of Présence Suisse, the organisation responsible for the image of Switzeland abroad, about the upcoming Swiss Pavillion at the EXPO 2015 exhibition in Milan. IBFAN points…
How does the Gates Foundation spend its money to feed the world?
New from GRAIN | 4 November 2014 How does the Gates Foundation spend its money to feed the world? Since the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation added “feeding the world” to its objectives almost a decade ago, it has channelled…