PHM-Exch> Breastfeeding at the 64th Committee on the Rights of the Child

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ina Verzivolli <ina.verzivolli at gifa.org>

<http://www.ibfan.org/>IBFAN-GIFA, in collaboration with IBFAN groups in
the countries sent 4 alternative
reports<http://ibfan.org/reports-on-the-un-committee-on-the-rights-of-the-child/118>to
the Committee on the Rights of the Child for
its 64th session (Sept-October 2013). These reports concerned the countries
of *China, Kuwait, **Lithuania, Luxembourg*. Many thanks to the IBFAN
groups in the countries that collaborated for the preparation of these
reports.

The Committee addressed State parties recommendations on breastfeeding,
health care and business sector. Please find below a summary of the
discussions and recommendations on breastfeeding. For the full report,
please visit this
link<http://www.ibfan.org/CRC/Post-session-report-session64.pdf>
. ****
----------------------------

*[SUMMARY] **Recommendations related to breastfeeding by the 64th COMMITTEE
ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD:*****

The 64th session <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/crcs64.htm> of
the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC Committee) took place in
Geneva from 16 September to 4 October 2013. The Committee reviewed the
progress of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
in 7 countries: *China, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco Sao Tome and
Principe *and* Tuvalu*.****

IBFAN submitted 4 alternative
reports<http://ibfan.org/reports-on-the-un-committee-on-the-rights-of-the-child/118>on
the situation of infant and young child feeding for China, Kuwait,
Lithuania and Luxembourg. The reports were written in collaboration with
IBFAN groups in the countries.****

We regret to see that in its concluding observations, the CRC Committee
referred specifically to *breastfeeding* in only 2 out of the 7 countries
(China and Tuvalu). In the case of Luxembourg, even if breastfeeding was
largely mentioned in the discussion between the CRC Committee and the
government delegation, Luxembourg did not receive any recommendation
concerning breastfeeding.****

Some of the recommendations on health care and on the business sector and
its impact on child rights are of relevance for infant and young child
feeding and are reported below. ****

The CRC Committee recommended China and Tuvalu to *promote exclusive
breastfeeding*. It has also stressed the need to establish *Baby-Friendly
Hospitals* (China) and to adopt *the International Code of Marketing of
Breastmilk Substitutes and* *resolutions* (China, Tuvalu). It also urged
Tuvalu to provide training to all health workers about breastfeeding.****

The Committee particularly addressed the issue of children affected by
contaminated formula in China and recommended the government to strengthen
its legislative framework on food and health standard and ensure sanctions
and remedies in cases of violation. ****

An Emphasis has been put on the importance of *respecting the right of the
child to the enjoyment of the highest standard of health *(China,
Lithuania, Monaco, Sao Tome and Principe). Countries have been reminded to
pay attention to the *2013 General Comment
15<http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/GC/CRC-C-GC-15_en.doc>
* on the right of the child to health, which explicitly recognizes the
importance of breastfeeding for the achievement of the right of the child
to health. It urges States, in the effort of diminishing infant and child
mortality, to devote particular attention to neonatal mortality and
suggests, inter alia, to “*pay particular attention to ensuring full
protection and promotion of breast! feeding practices*”. Moreover, “*Exclusive
breastfeeding for infants up to 6 months should be **protected and promoted
and breastfeeding should continue together with **appropriate complementary
foods** preferably until two years of age as feasible. **States’
obligations in this area are defined in the “protect, promote and support
framework”, adopted unanimously by the World Health Assembly*” in the Global
Strategy for Infant and Young Child
Feeding<http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/global_strategy/en/>
.****

Some of the countries are recommended to provide quality training for the
health care personnel (and to increase the budget for health programs in
general. China is urged to improve health infrastructure as well as
availability and accessibility to emergency obstetric and neonatal care,
especially in rural and poor areas, in order to prevent child and maternal
mortality. Sao Tome and Principe is recommended to undertake surveys in
order to understand the causes of maternal mortality and to intensify its
efforts to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Lithuania
is demanded to ensure maternal care for women who choose to deliver at home
and finally, it recommended Monaco to ensure that all children, including
non-nationals, enjoy the same access and quality to health services.****

A great focus was placed on the need to regulate *the impact of the
business sector on children’s rights. **The CRC Committee drew attention to
*the *2013 General Comment
16*<http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/CRC.C.GC.16.doc>
*, which* specifically calls on States *“to implement and enforce
internationally agreed standards concerning children’s rights, health and
business including the [...] **International Code of Marketing of
Breast-milk Substitutes and relevant subsequent World Health Assembly
resolutions**”.* ****

Countries are recommended to ensure the implementation by companies of both
international and national environment and health standards and ensure
appropriate sanctions in cases of violations. Countries are also
recommended to* *require companies to undertake assessments of the
environmental health-related and human rights impact of their business
activities The CRC Committee also focused on the need to prevent *
mother-to-child** **HIV/AIDS transmission* by improving access to
treatment, follow-up treatments and by ensuring early diagnosis, as well as
early initiation of treatment. ****

 For the full report, please visit this
link<http://www.ibfan.org/CRC/Post-session-report-session64.pdf>.
For detailed information on each of the countries please visit our
Breastfeeding
and Human Rights blog <http://breastfeedingandhr.blogspot.ch>.****

** **
GIFA- Geneva Infant Feeding Association

IBFAN- International Baby Food Action Network****

Geneva, Switzerland
* *www.ibfan.org  www.gifa.org**

http://breastfeedingandhr.blogspot.ch/****

IBFAN-GIFA Newsletters
<http://www.ibfan.org/gifa.newsletter/N-2_January2013.html>****

Watch the video: All about
IBFAN<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjrI2TTHWpk&feature=youtu.be>
****
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