The Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) is a national network of individuals and organisations working for protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in India. BPNI believes that breastfeeding is the right of all mothers and children. BPNI works through advocacy, social mobilization, information sharing, education and training of health workers and monitoring the International Code/The Indian Law to protect breastfeeding.

Conference funding is a matter of great concern to many individuals and groups as public funding sources are diminishing. Many groups view corporate funding as the only possible alternative. However, the IMS Act and the International Code forbids promotion by manufacturers and distributors of breastmilk substitutes and related products. BPNI therefore, will not accept funds, gifts or inducements from the companies for any of its activities, as accepting financial support would compromise its responsibility to protect, support and promote breastfeeding (see section 9 of the IMS Act), WHA Resoulution 49.15 on reverse side).

Guidelines Towards a Mother-Baby Friendly Event

Integrity

1. No funds from manufactures and distributors of breastmilk substitutes, complementary foods and related products are accepted to organise, provide speakers, or sponsor conference events. (Breastmilk substitutes means any food being marketed or otherwise respresented as a partial or total replacement for breastmilk, whether or not suitable for that purpose. Complementary food means any food marketed for addition to continued breastfeeding at six months. Related products are like breast pump).

2. No hospitality for organisers or conference participants is accepted from manufactures or distributors of the above products.

3. No signs are permitted, inviting participants to hospitality offered outside the conference venue by manufactures and distributors of the above products.

4. No advertisements, displays or other forms of promotion for breastmilk substitutes, complementary foods and related products are permitted in conference materials, including brochures and programmes.

Accountability

1. All financial support is fully acknowledged and disclosed.

2. List of conference participants are not sold to or otherwise made available to manufactures of the above products.

3. Guidelines are regularly monitored and revised appropriately to include products that harm babies.

Accessibility

1. Affordable childcare facilities are provided for participants.

2. A convenient private space is available for women to breastfeed or express breastmilk.

3. Mothers and infants are welcome to breastfeed anywhere in the conference site.

Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding

As a global goal for optimal maternal and child health and nutrition, all women should be enabled to practise exclusive breastfeeding and all infants from birth to 4-6 months of age. Thereafter, children should continue to be breastfed, while receiving appropriate and adequate complementary foods, for up to two years of age or beyond.

Developed and adopted by 32 Governments and 10 UN agencies on 1 August, 1990 at Italy

Convention on the Rights of the Child

To ensure that all segments of society, in particular parents and children, are informed, have access to education and are supported in the use of basic knowledge of child health and nutrition, [and] the advantages of breastfeeding.

Adopted by the United Nations 20 November 1989 Came into legal force September 1990

International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes

(and subsequent WHA resoulutions on infant feeding) Affirming the right of every child and every pregnant and lactating woman to be adequately nourished...and conscious that breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. ...[breastmilk substitutes] should not be marketed or distributed in ways that may interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding... Adopted by World Health Assembly 21 May 1981 WHA Resoulution 49.15 (1996) ..concerned that health institutions and ministries may be subject to subtle pressure to accept, inappropriately, financial or other support for professional training in infant and child health;...

URGES member states to take the following measures: (2) to ensure that the financial support for professionals working in infant and young child health does not create conflicts of interest, especially with regard to the WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative;...

WHA Sixth Plenary Meeting, 25 May 1996

IMS Act Section 9(a)