World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Conference
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7-9 May 2006
York University, Toronto, Canada
We would like to announce that WABA and York University are co-
organising a conference on Gender, Child Survival and HIV/AIDS:
From Evidence to Policy on 7-9 May 2006, York University, To-
ronto, Canada, and would like to welcome your participation.
The HIV issue has been a grave challenge for breastfeeding advo-
cates, and reaching out to the HIV community and womens groups
is essential to ensure that breastfeeding and optimal infant and
young child feeding are recognised and promoted in these wider
circles. We need to work together to find common understanding,
mutual support and possible solutions. The conference would also
provide an opportunity for us to discuss our strategy and ap-
proach for the International AIDS Conference in August 06.
About the conference background to the issue
Gender inequity underlies the marginalisation of women living
with HIV/AIDS. HIV positive mothers are further burdened with
the dilemma of weighing risks to ensure the best health outcome
for their children. This conference aims to bring together
womens health groups, HIV/AIDS groups and breastfeeding and in-
fant feeding advocates for a critical examination of the role of
gender in health research, and how evidence is used (or not
used) to direct policy relevant to womens health, infant
health, and HIV/AIDS. The conference will also review the latest
research on the transmission of HIV and the health outcomes of
different infant feeding options, often missing from clinical
discussions of paediatric AIDS (also referred to as mother-to-
child-transmission, MTCT). This conference aims to provide a
safe environment where divergent views on gender and HIV/AIDS
are respected.
Please visit http://www.waba.org.my/hiv/conference2006.htm for
more information.
Organisations or persons to approach
We would also like to request that you let us know of organiza-
tions and contact persons to whom we should send a letter of in-
vitation to participate in the conference. If you are also work-
ing closely with HIV/AIDS groups interested in PMTCT, we would
be glad to send them an invitation as well. Please let us know
about HIV/AIDS and womens groups we should approach.
We would be happy to hear from you if you have any queries. We
look forward to receiving your registration form
http://www.waba.org.my/hiv/registration.htm
Best wishes
Dr. Penny Van Esterik and Liew Mun Tip
York University and WABA
mailto:esterik@yorku.ca
mailto:waba@streamyx.com
You are fighting for the survival of women and infants, recog-
nizing the excruciating dimension of HIV transmission, address-
ing it in a sophisticated, knowledgeable way, even if on occa-
sion, it means replacement feeding in circumstances where you
might wish otherwise. Youre fundamentally fighting for the
emancipation of women, and there is no fight in this world more
worthwhile
Stephen Lewis, UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa
(WABA-UNICEF HIV and Infant Feeding Colloquium, Arusha, Tanza-
nia, 2002)
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The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global
network of individuals and organisations concerned with the pro-
tection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide based
on the Innocenti Declaration, the Ten Links for Nurturing the
Future and the WHO/UNICEF Global Strategy for Infant and Young
Child Feeding. Its core partners are International Baby Food Ac-
tion Network (IBFAN), La Leche League International (LLLI), In-
ternational Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA), Wellstart
International, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) and LINK-
AGES. WABA is in consultative status with UNICEF and an NGO in
Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council
of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)
PO Box 1200, 10850 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +604-658-4816
Fax: +604-657-2655
mailto:waba@streamyx.com
http://:www.waba.org.my