IBFAN Asia Newswire

The Last word on Infant and Young Child Feeding

• Gender and Breastfeeding: A perspective 
  Gender inequality is one of the major problems faced by the human society. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyze the gender inequality on the basis of gender parity index with respect of health and nutrition. The findings show a significant gender bias against female (both children and adults) in most states of India. 

• Karnataka and Jammu Kashmir Ensures Child Survival by evidence based advocacy
  Under the partner driven cooperation project, International Maternal and Child Health, Uppsala University, Sweden and BPNI is working through situational analysis of policy and programmes at district, state and national level consultations to develop call for action. The project has completed advocacy workshops in Assam, Punjab, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir.
  Link for Karnataka
  Link for Srinagar-Kashmir

• Afghanistan, Nepal and India build capacity for reducing IMR
  One of the most important strategies to improve nutrition status and reduction in  the mortality  of U5  children  is through  improvement  of  infant  and  young  child feeding practices. Afghanistan, Nepal and India build their capacity for implementing IYCF practices in the community to reduce the Infant Mortality Rates in respective countries.

• One Asia Breastfeeding Partner’s Forum 9 presented the "Luang Prabang CALL TO ACTION"
  Participants from 28 countries representing diverse groups including governments, breastfeeding organizations, health providers, peoples’ organizations and movements, international NGOs and individuals met  during the One Asia Breastfeeding Partners’ Forum â€Â 9 came up with The Luang Prabang CALL TO ACTION on Food Security, Food Sovereignty in Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition.

• Canada, Egypt, Mexico, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Nepal supports the global investment of $17.5 for optimal breastfeeding suggested by the “World Breastfeeding Initiative”.
  IBFAN Asia’s global paper “The Need to Invest in Babies” as part of their World Breastfeeding Costing Initiative (WBCi) launched in New Delhi on 10th December 2013 is now initiated in 8 countries to push policy makers on why, where and how much to invest in optimal IYCF practices.

• Montek Singh Ahluwalia, launched the World Breastfeeding Costing Initiative (WBCi) Report ‘The Need to Invest in Babies’ by IBFAN.  He termed the Report as ‘excellent’ and stressed that  “there is no reason for not acting”. Check out the video