World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7: 'Breastfeeding in a globalised world': breastfeeding in a globalised world brings both challenges and opportunities for breast-feeding advocates, to act locally and think globally.

'Breastfeeding is about peace and justice. It is the natural, universal and peaceful way of nurturing our children. In a world often racked by injustice, violence and war, breastfeeding can be a sentinel of peace--inner peace, peace with other people and peace with the environment.'

Anwar Fazal, Co-founder of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN)

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is the greatest outreach vehicle for the breast feeding movement, and is celebrated in over 120 countries. Officially it is celebrated on 1-7 August. However, many supporters choose other dates to make it a more appropriate and successful event in their countries. Midwives are among the most important professional groups to contribute to this celebration and promotion, as they have the opportunity both to educate women before birth about the benefits of breastfeeding, and to support and encourage them after the baby is born.

This year's WBW theme

Globalisation is a manifold and sometimes even an elusive concept--it has been defined as the intensification of worldwide social relations which rink distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events many miles away and vice versa. The result of this interconnectedness of globalisation can have both positive and negative impacts on breast feeding.

The current trend of globalisation is predominantly based on structuring a single global economy powered by transnational corporations and financial markets. Increasingly, globalisation is shaping a world where trade agreements, world trade organisation priorities and the economic interests of transnational corporations hold sway and are no longer accountable to governments, let alone the needs of mothers and children.

Breastfeeding advocates, including midwives, need to use the mechanisms available to them through globalisation to bring people together, find positive ways to address the challenges of globalisation and create viable solutions. Working together, and harnessing the power of new communication and network technology,, members of the global breastfeeding movement can have a positive impact on the structures and on individuals--both internationally and within local communities--that influence and enable women to breastfeed and to provide optimal care for their children.

Breastfeeding partnerships at work in Niger

The following is based on a report taken...