The Independent Women's Forum today is disturbed by recent reports that the
United Nations is embracing policies that are clearly anti-woman and could
ultimately lead to a ban of infant formula throughout much of the world,
setting women in the workplace back decades.
"Infant formula is an excellent form of nutrition for infants, and an
important alternative given the reality that many women simply cannot
breastfeed due to physical conditions or workplace obligations. Infant formula
has been critical to enabling woman to achieve more in the workplace, by
creating choice and greater flexibility," said Nancy M. Pfotenhauer, president
of the Independent Women's Forum. "We are alarmed by reports that the UN and
its agencies are actively working to remove bottle-feeding as a viable option
for women around the world. Women deserve the right to decide how to care for
their infants, and the UN certainly is not in the position to impose baseless
restrictions upon new mothers."
Last month, the World Health Organization -- the UN's Geneva-based health
agency -- decided to allow a vote on a resolution that would place black
warning labels on infant formula products. The resolution, sponsored by Fiji,
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nepal and Palau,
claims that formula contains pathogens that can result in death.
"We intend to monitor developments over the next 2-3 weeks and to alert
women about this attack on their liberties," Nancy M. Pfotenhauer said. "We all
recognize the benefits of breast feeding, but not all women can breast feed.
This is an attack on adoptive mothers, mothers with physical conditions that
make breastfeeding hazardous, including women infected with HIV, and of course
women who are working to keep a roof over their family's heads."
The UN will be voting on the resolution at the 58th World Health Assembly
meeting in Geneva on May 16, 2005.
"We all want infants to receive the best possible nutrition, but the UN
resolution could be counter-productive both to infants and their mothers," said
Pfotenhauer.
About Independent Women's Forum
The Independent Women's Forum was established to combat the
women-as-victim, pro-big-government ideology of radical feminism. We seek to
restore, strengthen, and extend that which promotes women's well being by
advancing the principles of self-reliance, political freedom, economic liberty,
and personal responsibility.
SOURCE: Independent Women's Forum
CONTACT: Louise Filkins of the Independent Women's Forum,
+1-202-349-5874/
--Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--