IBFAN Africa
Armanda Gani, Pauline Kisanga, Busi Maphanga, Ray Maseko
Vulie Kunene and Peter Oomen

IBFAN Africa is part of a global Network, the International Baby Food Action Network, IBFAN, serving the Africa region

The coordinating office for Africa was set up in 1981, in Nairobi, Kenya to extend IBFAN interest to Africa. Over the years, IBFAN activities in Africa expanded so that there are now two regional offices, The IBFAN Africa office serving the English and Portuguese speaking countries, located in Mbabane, Swaziland, and a sub-regional office for the French speaking countries, in Burkina Faso.

The two offices are autonomous and each has its own Advisory Committee that governs its operations. This division is for communication purpose only, as the intention is not to divide Africa by language. The main duties of the Advisory Committee are to define policies and operations. The Advisory Committee for IBFAN Africa has a wide regional representation, with five members, each representing a sub-region as follows: Portuguese speaking, Southern Africa, Western Africa and Eastern Africa.

Countries served by IBFAN Africa include:

English speaking: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe,

Portuguese speaking: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, and Sao Tome and Principle


What is IBFAN?

IBFAN is a worldwide network of public interest groups working to improve the health and well-being of infants, young children, their mothers and families by promoting and supporting breastfeeding and optimal infant and young child nutrition.

Every member of IBFAN agrees on seven basic principles:

  1. The right of infants everywhere to have the highest level of health.
  2. The right of families, and in particular women and children, to have enough nutritious food.
  3. The right of women to breastfeed and to make informed choices about infant feeding.
  4. The right of women to full support for successful breastfeeding and for optimal infant feeding practices.
  5. The right of all people to health services which meet basic needs.
  6. The right of health workers and consumers to health care systems which are free of commercial pressures.
  7. The right of people to organize in international solidarity to secure changes which protect and promote basic health.


Origins and aims of IBFAN

The International Baby Food Action Network (Ibfan was founded on 12 October 1979, the final day of the WHO/UNICEF Joint Meeting on Infant and Young Child Feeding, by six international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This was in direct response to the recommendations of the Joint Meeting to develop and monitoran International Code of Marketing of infant formula and other products used as Breastmilk Substitutes.

The recommendations of the Joint Meeting form the basis of IBFAN mandate, namely, the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in the health care system, communities and at the workplace; monitoring the appropriate marketing and distribution of breastmilk substitutes and complementary foods; and promotion and support of timely complementary feeding practices using adequate local food resources.

The International Code forms a global policy tool and a framework for IBFAN’s work

The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1981 as an international recommendation and a minimum universal requirement to protect health of infants and young children. IBFAN’s work is to help translate the Code and relevant WHA resolutions into enforceable national legislation.


The IBFAN Network

The global network comprises IBFAN member groups, associations and individuals in over 100 countries and over 200 groups. Since it is composed of independent groups, IBFAN has remained capable of rapid response to external pressures.

The IBFAN Coordinating Council (IBCoCo) sets general policy guidelines for the whole network and individual members raise funds and carry out their programmes within these guidelines. The infant and young child feeding issues cover such a wide range of subjects that it is essential to maintain diversity in approach.

The IBFAN Africa Network includes Government departments

At country level, IBFAN Africa works with health worker organizations, mother support groups, women groups, religious groups, development agencies, public advocacy groups, consumer groups, research groups and government departments. Altogether about 62 groups, in 31 countries plus 12 more in the Francophone.

The full participation of these groups is through organised meetings and workshops, visits to countries by the regional officer, information exchange, joint Code monitoring and programmes within countries, IBFAN Africa newsletter, and other information services through the regional resource centre.

In an effort to enhance its operation in the region, IBFAN works through national coordinators and its groups. But also recently it has formed Technical Working Groups meant to strengthen expertise in dealing with critical areas such as indicated underMajor Programme Areas.

IBFAN Africa’s goal is to address infant feeding problems in a holistic approach and target efforts more at increasing popular support for infant feeding at all levels but more at the grassroots level. IBFAN Africa plans are aimed at:

  • Promoting optimum feeding practices for infants i.e. exclusive breastfeeding for six months and this continued to two years and beyond; with timely, safe and nutritious complimentary locally available foods from six months; and proper use of artificial feeding where necessary.
  • Reduction of mother to child transmission of HIV through breastfeeding.
  • Increased awareness of the relevant WHA Resolutions, appropriate infant and young child feeding practices and child nutrition amongst policy makers, health workers, mothers, the general population and NGOs working with infants and young children and their families.
  • Advocacy for implementation of the World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolutions on infant and young child nutrition by national governments through supportive policies and plans in all countries.
  • Monitoring compliance of the baby milk companies to the WHA Resolutions on the marketing requirements for breastfeeding substitutes.
  • Improving maternal nutrition.
  • Strengthening and sustainance of the network.

IBFAN Africa beneficiaries are:

  • General infant and young child population.
  • Policy makers.
  • Infants in emergencies.
  • Infants born in hospitals.
  • Infants born in communities.
  • Mother support groups.
  • Non-governmental organizations.
  • National IBFAN groups.
  • National Coordinating office of infant and young child nutrition.
  • International IBFAN Network.

Major Programme Areas

  • Protection, promotion and support of exclusive breastfeeding to six months for infants who can breastfeed and optimal infant feeding practices for all infants.
  • Increasing community support for pregnant and lactating mothers in infant and maternal nutrition.
  • Reduction of mother to child transmission of HIV through breastfeeding by strengthening the BFHI (Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative) and adequate counselling on feeding options.
  • Improving infant and maternal nutrition in emergencies.
  • Enhancing the rights of women through implementation of supportive conventions, laws and policies such as the ILO Convention on Maternity Protection for working women and CRC (the Convention of the rights of the child).
  • Enforcing corporate accountability in globalization by improving compliance of companies to the International Code of Marketing of breastfeeding substitutes, and the reflection of this in the Codex Alimentarius Standards.
  • Networking and Network expansion.

Others include:

  • Increasing transparency, in sponsorship and monitoring conflict of interest in professional and international organisations.

IBFAN Africa partners include:

  • UNICEF, WHO, and other UN organisations
  • Relief Agencies
  • The Dutch Church Organisation, ICCO
  • Swedish International Development Agency, SIDA,
  • The Dutch Department for International Development, DGIS,
  • IBFAN Network and Alliances WABA,
  • Baby Milk Action, GIFA, ICDC, etc.
  • Civil Society Groups with related interests, such as consumer organisations and trade unions.

How to join IBFAN Africa

The main conditions for joining are to:

  • Support the seven principles of IBFAN listed overleaf.
  • Work actively to protect infant health through implementation of the International Code, Resolutions and protection of optimal infant and young child feeding.
  • Share expertise and experience with other members of the network.
  • Accept no funding, donations or sponsorships from manufacturers and distributors of breastmilk substitutes and all products designated in the International Code of marketing of breastmilk substitutes and national laws.
  • Be willing to report to the coordinating office twice a year.

Funding

IBFAN is a non-profit making network which is funded by various agencies and governments. IBFAN Africa acknowledges the support and collaboration of all its donors.

IBFAN does not take funding from baby milk companies and related bodies.

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