From 13 to 30 September 2016, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC Committee) held its 73rd Session in Geneva, while the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR Committee) held its 59th session from 19 September to 7 October 2016.
The CRC Committee reviewed the progress of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 6 countries: Nauru, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Suriname. IBFAN submitted alternative reports on the situation of infant and young child feeding in 2 of the reviewed countries (New Zealand and Saudi Arabia). Spanish summaries of the alternative reports were prepared in order to inform Spanish-speaking members of the Committee.
The implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 7 countries (Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Philippines, Poland, Tunisia) was monitored by the CESCR Committee. Specific information on the situation of breastfeeding in the reviewed countries was submitted to the Committee.
As a result of IBFAN’s advocacy, in its Concluding Observations, the CRC Committee referred specifically to breastfeeding for 4 of the 6 countries under review (Nauru, New Zealand, Sierra Leone and Suriname) while the CESCR Committee issued specific recommendations on breastfeeding to 2 of the 7 countries under review (Costa Rica and Poland).