Australia: Report Card 2018

Australia now joins 94 other countries in completion of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) with a score of 25.5/100.

 

We call on federal, state, territory and local governments to provide leadership that ensures the protection and fulfilment of the rights of women to access information and optimal support for breastfeeding.

 

The WBTi assessment tool was designed by the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) for countries to use to benchmark and improve policies and programs that protect, promote and support the right of women and children breastfeed. The tool scores countries based on the recommendations included in the 2003 Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding.

 

Download the wbti_report_card-australia here and  full report here.

It takes a village, so have your say…

 

Public consultation on the latest strategy for women’s health, the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy, is open from 22 May – 18 June 2018.

 

Let the government know you want the right to breastfeed protected, promoted and supported for you/ your partner/ your best friend/ your neighbour/ your co-worker and future generations by:

 

• Extending paid parental leave to six months to improve maternal health
• Establishing a national policy that reflects global definitions for breastfeeding;
• Establishing a fully-funded national committee, free from industry stakeholders, to implement the required programs;
• Implementing and adequately funding evidence-based woman-centred care in hospitals through the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) program and existing peer-to-peer support services;
• Committing to the global recommendations for consumer protections of the inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes and foods for infant and young children.

To contact your Federal Senator and Member, click here

To contact your State or Territory member, click here

For more information about Australia’s history of breastfeeding commitments click here 

Core Group Statements:

Australian Breastfeeding Association

As the country’s leading authority on breastfeeding, the Australian Breastfeeding Association has been proud to be a part of completing this historic international report. The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative is the flagship program of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) Asia and has helped dozens of countries protect, promote and support breastfeeding through collaborative action.

Alison Boughey, Australian Breastfeeding Association’s Chief Executive Officer said, “we welcome the results of the WBTi report, to draw attention to the need to recognise breastfeeding as a human right and we look forward to further collaborations with governments, health care systems and community groups to build a society where women are supported to nurture their children as they wish.”

Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ)

As the key advisory body for breastfeeding and human lactation, Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ), is looking forward to working with the Australian Government, DoH and key women’s and children’s health organisations to implement the recommendations of this report.  As demonstrated in this report, Australian women and children require a vast improvement with national access to specialised breastfeeding and human lactation support.

 

Key recommendations LCANZ will be advocating for include:

• Requiring training of registered healthcare providers in human lactation and infant nutrition;

• Improving/ standardising referral pathways to International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs);

• Enacting Medicare-funded services provided by IBCLCs;

• Enacting legislation or other effective measures to implement the WHO Code and all subsequent WHA resolutions with appropriate monitoring and enforcement; and

• Supporting and adequately resourcing supportive breastfeeding friendly workplace environments.

Kelly Rechtin, LCANZ Director of Communications, On behalf of the LCANZ Board of Directors.

Media Contact: Naomi Hull wbtiaus@gmail.com, 0412 466 270.