IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT CHILD HEALTH CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE DEBATE that starts around 1 hour and 53 minutes after the start: On Monday 21st December there was an important debate in the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health…
Background to the EU Legislation on baby foods and formulas
Since 1981 when the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (IC) was adopted at the World Health Assembly, the European Parliament has called for its adoption as an EU Directive. All EU Member States (MS) have endorsed the International…
ENVI Committee Members 2015
You some or all of the MEPs in your country to support Keith Taylor’s Resolutions by clicking on the links below. This will take you to their page on the European Parliament website where you will find quick links to…
WHO: Unease over seconded philanthropic foundation staff to top management
Thanks to Third World Network for this report – page down for the secondment table TWN Info on Health and UN Sustainable Development www.twn.my WHO: Unease over seconded philanthropic foundation staff to top management Geneva, 9 December (TWN) – Philanthropic…
A fox building a chicken coop?
A fox building a chicken coop? A fox building a chicken coop? – Policy Forum www.policyforum.net The World Health Organization embarked on a reform process five years ago, that included looking at fundraising from private-sector sources. But serious policy questions…
German TV programme about Nestle
Here a two-part programme about Nestle with english subtitles. Part 1 https://youtu.be/laCv-5jHYK4 Part 2 https://youtu.be/jNuQkygqk-g
Global Coordinating Mechanism blatantly pushes PPPs at WHO
C I’ve been attending the Global Coordinating Mechanism (GCM) on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that has been taking place at WHO HQ in Geneva. Its all been very disturbing especially since this is taking place before WHO’s policy on its engagement with…
Hilarious book to raise funds for Baby Milk Action
It’s been a busy time at Baby Milk Action. As our Policy Director, Patti Rundall, sometimes says, “We haven’t got time to swing a cat in this office”. Now, in time for Christmas, Gabrielle Palmer, author of The Politics of…
IBFAN Codex comments
NEW PAPER ON UNICEF RUTF PROPOSAL RUTF Bullett FINAL IBFAN submissions to the 37th codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) Bad Soden am Taunus, Germany 23-27 November 2015 I will be joining the IBFAN Codex…
Brazilian law is signed at last
3rd November 2015 Very important news from Brazil: After many decades of deliberation and struggle by our IBFAN colleagues in Brazil, a Brazilian law that bans advertising of formulas, pacifiers, bottles and all products that can interfere on breastfeeding – Regulation 11265/2006…
New International Development Mandate for Canada
http://www.can-mnch.ca/minister-mandate-letter/ Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Mandate Letter Today, the Government of Canada outlined the mandate of the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie. CAN-MNCH is pleased to see a strong commitment to advancing women and children’s…
IBFAN comment on Ending Childhood Obesity Report
The Deadline for comments on the Draft Final Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesityis today 13th November 2015. Baby Milk Action and IBFAN have submitted the following comment. BabyBaby Milk ActionIBFAN_ECHO_Nov2015 The Draft Final Report is HERE CLICK…
Green Party opposition to the Delegated Acts
On 16th October the Green Party registered an objection to the three Delegated Acts. Commission Delegated Regulations of 25.9.2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the EP and Council as regards infant formula, follow-on formula, c(2015) 6478, food for special medical…
Childhood Obesity Inquiry highlights baby food industry marketing and sponsorship
Childhood Obesity Inquiry highlights baby food industry marketing and sponsorship for links to Blog with full Transcripts CLICK HERE Parliamentary Select Committee Childhood Obesity Inquiry. House of Commons, 20th October, 2015 The Select Committee inquiry on Childhood…
UK Childhood Obesity Inquiry and baby food marketing
I attended the three sessions of the Parliamentary Select Committee Childhood Obesity Inquiry. Much of the media coverage has focused on whether or not there should be a sugar tax on sweetened drinks and the call by the Chair of the…
WHO ‘non paper’ on Framework of Engagement With Non State Actors (FENSA)
See Press release about the letter from 67 NGOs to WHO and the NonPaper on the implications of the Framework of Engagement With Non State Actors (FENSA) For the past 4 years and as part of the WHO reform, WHO and its governing bodies…
Danone at the Conservative Fringe
There were several relevant Fringe meetings at Party conferences. Private Eye picked up on a complaint I made about the Danone funding of a meeting on Early years at the Conservative Conference: “Danone, the baby food giant which makes Aptamil baby and…
World Obesity Day 11th October
TOMORROW – October 11th – is World Obesity Day see World Obesity for a host of useful statistic See also this article in the Guardian: Global obesity rise puts UN goals on diet-related diseases ‘beyond reach’ Sarah Boseley and Helen Davidson in Darwin Friday 9…
WHO Consultation on Conflicts of Interest
http://www.who.int/nutrition/events/2015_conflictsofinterest_nut_programmes_scopeandpurpose.pdf?ua=1 Technical consultation: addressing and managing conflicts of interest in the planning and delivery of nutrition programmes at country level Date: 8-9 October 2015 Venue: International Labour Organization (ILO) Salle IX (R2-sud), Geneva, Switzerland
The Commission’s weak proposals on baby food and formula acts are out
The EU Commission’s proposals for new legislation covering the composition and marketing of baby foods and formulas have been sent to the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) I will post comments and a guide very soon…
Two good films – Landgrabbing and Inequality for all
Two very good films doing the Festival rounds. Landgrabbing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieioj-036hA May 11, 2015 The world’s farmland is at risk. Demand for land has soared as investors look for places to grow food for export, grow crops for biofuels or…
New Guidelines on Infant feeding and the European refugee crisis
A new reply has been posted to Infant feeding and the European refugee crisis in the Infant and young child feeding interventions area. From Marie McGrath on Thursday 1 October at 3:25 PM Dear en-net I am happy to share Interim Operational Considerations for the…
Commission to replace infamous ISDS and reaction from US Chamber of Commerce
Letter from European Commission re TTIP report New ICS to replace ISDS in TTIP Comment from John Hendy QC page down for a reaction from the US Chamber of Commerce Commission to replace infamous ISDS with Investment Court System September…
Scaring mothers away from breastfeeding
Click HERE for Mike Brady’s Campaign Blog for some interesting background to this story including links to Nestlé sponsorship of the Brazilian Pediatric Association. CLICK Here for a story in Update 46 about how Nestlé and other companies target pregnant…
IBFAN speaks on Conflicts of Interest at ISSOP conference
IBFAN speaks on Conflicts of Interest at ISSOP conference CLICK HERE
Has Nestle Gone Too Far?
For comments on this article by Yasmine Motarjemi see her Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/justiceforyasmine/posts/1631441403739872 https://www.facebook.com/justiceforyasmine/posts/1631682727049073 and here – another article. http://setexasrecord.com/stories/510634511-tyler-woman-claims-nestle-waters-fired-her-because-of-pregnancy Has Nestle Gone Too Far? Forbes Business AUG 21, 2015 Clark Wolf , http://www.forbes.com/sites/clarkwolf/2015/08/20/has-nestle-gone-too-far/ Protests against Nestle, the food giant, over…
Nestle sued over claims of false advertisement of the ingredients in its Gerber baby food
This article is relevant to the ongoing discussions at WHO about inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children and shows how foods are ‘idealised’ – not only by baby pictures but by vegetables. Below this article are…
Demand that the EU considers the global impact of its policies follows the Codex Code of Ethics
The latest version of the new laws are below. COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/… of XXX supplementing Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the specific compositional and information requirements for infant formula…
India government sues Nestle for $100m over Maggi noodles
12th August Indian government sues Nestle for $100m over Maggi noodles CLICK HERE for BBC report CLICK Here or HERE or HERE The Indian Government announced today that it is suing Nestle for $100m (£64m) over “unfair trade practices.” following on from its…
Rich countries push Corporate takeover of WHO
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. To protect the agency’s integrity, independence and credibility, the 2014 World Health Assembly (WHA) called for…
Nestlé hijacking World Breastfeeding Week again….
CLICK HERE for WHO, UNICEF, WABA and ILO materials Just like 2014, Nestlé has once again been hijacking World Breastfeeding Week, and all the while continuing to systematically break the UN marketing requirements. There have been advertisements in daily newspapers, sometimes full…
WHO, ILO, UNICEF and WABA materials for World Breastfeeding Week
ILO’s statement in support of WBW containing the WHO materials and posters: http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/who-we-are/ilo-director-general/statements-and-speeches/WCMS_387405/lang–en/index.htm WABA’s social media toolkit: http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/pdf/wbw2015-socialmedia.pdf UNICEF photo essay on breastfeeding and work: https://medium.com/photography-and-social-change/breastfeeding-and-work-afea268fb6c3 The first in a series of blogs on UNICEF Connect: http://blogs.unicef.org/2015/08/03/breastfeeding-and-work-snapshots-from-companies-around-the-world/ Paper…
Over 100 breastfeeders in Times Square
Photos: Over 100 Moms Breastfeed In Times Square For Big Latch On BY JEN CHUNG IN NEWS ON AUG 2, 2015 10:14 AM CLICK HERE
Tigers at the London Indian Film Festival – PictureHouse Central
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…
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…