The Geneva Infant Feeding Association (GIFA), a non-profit association based in Geneva, has been working for more than 40 years to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

GIFA is the international liaison office of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), which has more than 270 groups in 168 countries around the world.

Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed babies and young children. It helps to prevent infectious diseases and helps to reduce non-transmissible diseases (cardiovascular diseases, overweight and obesity problems and allergies).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), «breastfeeding is now the most effective preventive action to improve child survival and health… more than one million deaths of children under five could be prevented each year if breastfeeding practices were improved…. «

As a public health measure, WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding until the age of 2 years or more, with the introduction of appropriate and safe complementary foods from 6 months of age on. Resolution WHA54.2 of the World Health Assembly (2001)  Resolution WHA55.25 on the Global Strategy of infant and young child feeding IYCF (2002) WHO documents