World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action : WABA

	What's breastfeeding got to do with Gender issues? BREASTFEEDING is an important part of women's reproduction and benefits women's health. Women have the right to breastfeed as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). As with other issues concerning women's health and sexuality, breastfeeding takes place in a gendered world. Hence breastfeeding promotion programmes should take into account the gendered context of women's lives. Breastfeeding and child rearing are particularly difficult for the majority of the world's women, marginalized by poverty, violence, poor nutritional status, job insecurities and gender inequalities.
The WABA Gender Training workshop is on for the 4 th consecutive year! It's happening on 22 - 25 Oct 2007, at YWCA New Delhi, India . Reserve your space today! This meeting aims to situate breastfeeding issues within the women's agenda & particularly the women's reproductive health & rights framework, among breastfeeding advocates. The emphasis will be on gender sensitisation of men. Indication of Interest: 15 July 2007 Registration Deadline: 3 1 August 200 7 Click here for more information.
WABA Gender Publications: Please click here for more information
Towards a Common Advocacy Agenda Statement made at the Second WABA Global Forum in Arusha, Tanzania, 23-27 September 2002, based on the four workshops on Theme 7 - Outreach to Women's Groups. Breastfeeding is a basic human right and it is agreed that the protection of women's right to breastfeed is a shared position of the women's movement and breastfeeding movement. Women can fully exercise this right only where there exists a gender equal social and political environment, whereby women's contribution to productive and reproductive work, including nurturing, is recognised, and where all forms of breastfeeding support can be made available. Gender equity is therefore basic to the breastfeeding movement. The breastfeeding movement also recognises: That breastfeeding support requires changes in all social environments and policies. That social transformation needs to take place at all levels to bring about gender equality. Women's right to life and survival. Women's right to choose free of commercial, medical and political pressure. Women's right to food, irrespective of race, class, caste, religion, region and age. Demands Women's groups and breastfeeding groups have decided to put on their advocacy agenda the following demands: To recognise the common concern of the adverse effect of globalisation and privatisation on health care services, and the increasing feminisation of poverty. Women's right to accessible, affordable, comprehensive, high quality and gender - sensitive women's health services. Women's right to breastfeeding based on informed choices, free of commercial, medical and political pressure. Social recognition and value of women's work at home as caregivers and nurturers. Implementation of maternity protection for women at paid work in the formal and informal sectors. Women's right to food, adequate nutrition, rest, safe water and shelter.