BPNI continued its advocacy for exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth, followed by continued breastfeeding along with introduction of adequate and appropriate complementary feeding till two years and beyond.

Advocacy with the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Human Resources Development. Dr. Arun Gupta, National Coordinator of BPNI, Dr. Jagdish Sobti, Ms. Jessy George and the other staff of the organisation have played an important role in advocacy with the MWCD and HRD Ministry for implementing the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. The 10th Plan goals for improving breastfeeding practices were used to bring special focus on exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, and appropriate complementary feeding along with continued breastfeeding thereafter.

National Nutrition Mission. The Government of India set up a National Nutrition Mission to be headed by the Prime Minister to give policy direction and coordinate nutrition programmes. The NNM will function under the HRD Ministry, and will be revising the national nutrition policy 1993, and the National Plan of Action on Nutrition 1995. BPNI’s national coordinator, in his capacity as member of the NNM, has been informing members of the Mission on the importance of IYCF to ensure each child a healthy future.

Technical review meetings with UNICEF. A comprehensive meeting with UNICEF coordinator Mrs. Deepika Srivastava is planned every three months in which quarterly assessment is done and planning for the next quarter is undertaken.