AIM OF THE CONFERENCE

To stimulate action globally, regionally and locally to protect, promote and support optimal infant and young child feeding for a better world for mothers and children.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONFERENCE

• To identify barriers and explore solutions that impede improvement in exclusive breastfeeding rate for the first six months and the rate of continued breastfeeding upto two years and beyond despite various global policy and advocacy initiatives
• To discuss and share status of breastfeeding, infant and young child feeding policies and practices in participating countries.
• To bring together various sectors of government policy makers, funding agencies and civil society groups to discuss how to Protect Infant and Young Child Feeding from predatory marketing and commercial sabotage and interference by strict enforcement of the International Code and WHA resolutions;
• To identify actions needed to support mothers and Protect Breastfeeding as the Sustainable First Food System in Emergencies
• To establish mechanisms to address conflicts of interest
• To invest in the BFHI and mother friendly practices in all contexts
• To ensure universal access to accurate information and counselling on breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding to all mothers
• To promote the use of local culturally appropriate family foods for timely healthy appropriate, nutritious and safe complementary feeding after six months
• To raise awareness about the need to invest in breastfeeding as a practical solution towards protecting the environment and protecting mothers and children against the effects of climate change.

TOPICS OF THE CONFERENCE

• Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
• Breastfeeding and Oral Cavity Issues
• Breastfeeding in Islam & Milk Banking
• Breastfeeding the Neonate and The Preterm
• Challenges to Breastfeeding
• Climate Crisis
• Complementary Feeding
• Global Trade & Codex Alimentarius
• Infants' Behaviour And Psychology In Breastfeeding
• Infant and Young Child Feeding
• Infant Feeding in Emergencies
• International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes & Subsequent WHA resolutions
• Kangaroo Mother Care
• Lactation Advocacy, Education and Training
• Lactation Massage
• Maternal, Infant Young Child Feeding and Infectious Diseases
• Maternal, Infant Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
• Maternity Protection
• Milk Kinships, Wet Nursing and Adoption
• Mother Support and Community Support
• Reclaiming Food Sovereignty & Breastfeeding
• Relactation And Induced Lactation

TARGET AUDIENCE

It seeks to provide a forum for people from a wide range of sectors to share and assess experiences, as well as explore creative and effective ways to integrate the theory into practice:
• Academia and Researchers
• Breastfeeding advocates
• Civil society organizations and coalitions
• Development partners
• Donors agencies
• Government representatives, concerned with nutrition, women, children, public health, and labor etc.
• HEALTH professionals
• IBCLC’s
• Local and international NGOs ,networks, agencies and organizations
• Media
• Public interest groups
• Social activists
• Students
• UN Agencies

Past Conferences:

FIRST WORLD BREASTFEEDING CONFERENCE (1ST WBC) 6TH -9TH DECEMBER 2012, NEW DELHI INDIA, 721 PARTICIPANTS FROM 83 COUNTRIES, SECOND WORLD BREASTFEEDING CONFERENCE (2ND WBC) 11TH - 14TH DECEMBER 2016, JOHANNESBURG , SOUTH AFRICA,457 PARTICIPANTS DRAWN FROM 46 COUNTRIES THIRD WORLD BREASTFEEDING CONFERENCE (3RD WBC) AND THE FIRST WORLD COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING CONFERENCE (1ST WCFC),11TH - 15TH NOVEMBER 2019, RIO DE JANEIRO , BRAZIL,1892 PARTICIPANTS FROM 56 COUNTRIES

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY

The WBC 4 organizers follow the ethical policy of not accepting sponsorship from any source with conflict of interests like manufacturers of foods for infants and children, and related equipment. The Conference participants are therefore requested to follow the same policy while seeking funds or sponsorship for the conference.