Do global infant feeding policies respect the United Nations principles on the rights of children and families?

Abstract

Within the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), UNICEF has stated that WHO/WHA/UNICEF infant feeding policy documents should now be introduced into domestic law. The concern is that these documents are not recent and have not been updated, there are high levels of non-compliance, and to determine if they are fit for purpose as health policy, legislative instruments or examples of compatibility with the principles set out in the UNCRC, they need to be formally reviewed before they are considered appropriate evidence in a court of law. This paper highlights issues that may arise from a formal review with infant feeding policymaking being a highly contested environment and several inter-related factors potentially having a negatively impact on the legal rights of infants and their parents. It is concluded that the principles endorsed by UNCRC are clearly aimed at national governments and this should continue to be the primary focus. It is important that the credibility of these principles is not undermined by UNCRC ratifying associated policies that do not effectively serve the health needs of the population and fail to serve the rights of infants and their families.