Webinar Invitation: Breastfeeding policy in 2020 and beyond – Emergency and pandemic preparedness and response planning in Australia

Dear friends and colleagues,

I am writing on behalf of Save the Children and the Australian National University to invite you to participate to a very important  webinar.  

This email is to invite you to  the next Gender Budgeting and Breastfeeding Policy webinar on 20 April (6-8pm), which will consider how emergency and pandemic preparedness and response planning and protocols fit with Australia’s commitments to realizing women’s and children’s human rights. International and national experts on infant and young child feeding in emergencies and infant feeding in the context of COVID 19 pandemic will facilitate the workshop.

Please register here https://taxpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/news-events/events/16419/breastfeeding-policy-2020-and-beyond-emergency-and-pandemic-preparedness to join us.

You can also find the details about joining us online using zoom links in the attached program for Monday 20 April. Registrations are free but limited.

In times of health crisis and emergency, including COVID-19, the implementation of the WHO/UNICEF Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding and the Operational Guidance for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE)  is more important than ever, but it is hindered by lack of investment in breastfeeding policies and plans nationally that includes emergency preparedness and response. Our online workshop program aims to galvanise efforts to improve breastfeeding policies and funding to in national budgets to protect, promote and support breastfeeding also in emergencies situations. Experts in breastfeeding, infant feeding in emergencies, gender budgeting, health and economic policy will draw on global experience including from countries in South and East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia . The online program follows up from the first ‘gender budgeting and breastfeeding’ workshop in September 2017, at which the WBTi was established in Australia http://genderinstitute.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/2018_docs/APIP_workshopreport_28-11-17 for ANU GI.pdf.

A further webinar on 4 May will provide opportunities for experts  to share lessons learned and experiences related to infant and young child feeding in emergencies and infant feeding in the context of Covid 19, in high and  middle income countries. Experts from across the world will present  how their countries are working towards better plans and policies to protect women and children in time of emergencies and in pandemic situation.  We will shortly circulate more information.

If you missed it, details of our 6 April Gender Responsive Budgeting and Progressing Breastfeeding Policy in 2020 and Beyond Introductory webinar can be found here. https://taxpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/news-events/events/16383/gender-responsive-budgeting-and-progressing-breastfeeding-policy-2020-and

We hope you are keeping safe and well in these challenging times.

Many thanks and best regards 

Alessandro Iellamo

Global Adviser

Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies 

Save the Children

Dr Julie Smith 

Honorary Associate Professor 

Research School of Population Health

College of Health and Medicine

Australian National University