February 2022 — Page 4 of 16 — Human Rights & Charity

Baby formula marketing ‘pervasive, misleading and aggressive’ – UN report

How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding, the first report in a series by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), draws on interviews with parents, pregnant women, and health workers in eight countries.

More than half of those surveyed acknowledged that they had been targeted by formula milk companies.

Invasive marketing

UNICEF and WHO maintain that the $55 billion formula milk industry uses systematic and unethical marketing strategies to influence parents’ infant feeding decisions and exploitative practices that compromise child nutrition and violate international commitments.

“This report shows very clearly that formula milk marketing remains unacceptably pervasive, misleading and aggressive,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, calling for regulations on exploitative marketing to be “urgently adopted and enforced to protect children’s health.”

The report found not only that industry marketing techniques include unregulated and invasive online targeting, but also sponsored advice networks and helplines; offered promotions and free gifts; and influenced health workers’ training and recommendations.

Barriers to breastfeeding

The report underlines that the industry often delivers misleading and scientifically unsubstantiated information to parents and health workers and also violates the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes – a landmark public health agreement to protect mothers from aggressive marketing by the baby food industry.

Having surveyed 8,500 parents and pregnant women, and 300 health workers globally, the report found that exposure to formula milk marketing reached 84 per cent of all women surveyed in the United Kingdom; 92 per cent in Viet Nam and 97 per cent in China – increasing their likelihood of choosing formula feeding.

“False and misleading messages about formula feeding are a substantial barrier to breastfeeding, which we know is best for babies and mothers,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

Misleading messages

Across all countries surveyed, women expressed a strong desire to breastfeed exclusively that ranged from 49 per cent in Morocco to 98 per cent in Bangladesh.

Yet the WHO/UNICEF report details how a sustained flow of misleading marketing messages is reinforcing myths about breastfeeding and breast-milk, and undermining women’s confidence in their ability to breastfeed successfully.

Ms. Russell called for “robust policies, legislation and investments in breastfeeding” to protect women from unethical marketing practices and give them access “to the information and support they need to raise their families.”

Myth busting

Some of the myths around breastfeeding include the inadequacy of breastmilk for infant nutrition; that infant formula improves development or immunity; and that the quality of breast-milk declines with time.

According to the data, breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond, offers a powerful line of defense against all forms of child malnutrition.

Breastfeeding also acts as babies’ first vaccine, protecting infants against many common childhood illnesses while also reducing future risks of diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer in nursing mothers.

According to WHO, breastfeeding is the best way of providing infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development and can prevent 13 per cent of child deaths.

Formula milk sales double in 20 years

Despite these benefits, around the world only 44 per cent of babies less than six months old are exclusively breastfed.

While global breastfeeding rates have increased very little over the past two decades, formula milk sales have more than doubled in roughly the same time.

And alarmingly, the report notes that the baby feeding industry has approached health workers across all countries with promotional gifts, research funding and even sales commissions to influence new mothers on their feeding choices.

More than one third of women surveyed said that a health worker had recommended a specific brand of formula to them.

Addressing the challenges

Following the report launch, WHO, UNICEF and partners called on Governments, health workers, and the baby food industry to end exploitative marketing on formula milk.

They also appealed for the Code’s requirements to be fully implemented, including by passing, monitoring and enforcing laws to prevent formula milk promotion; investing in supportive breastfeeding policies and programmes, such as adequate paid parental leave; and banning health workers from accepting sponsorship from companies that market foods for infants and young children for scholarships, awards, grants, meetings, or events.

Formula milk and tobacco are the only two products for which international recommendations to prohibit marketing exist.

In this case, through the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Stop weapons supply to Myanmar, rights expert urges

In a report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews insisted that these arms had been used against civilians.

He also called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to vote on a resolution to ban this trade.

Transfers ‘shock the conscience’

“It should be incontrovertible that weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to Myanmar. These transfers truly shock the conscience,” Mr. Andrews said in a statement.

“Stopping the junta’s atrocity crimes begins with blocking their access to weapons. The more the world delays, the more innocent people, including children, will die in Myanmar.”

Mr. Andrews identified China, Russia and Serbia as countries that have supplied weapons to Myanmar’s military rulers since they seized power in a coup last February.

The weapons include fighter jets, armoured vehicles, rockets and artillery.

Families in the crosshairs

“The people of Myanmar are imploring the UN to act,” said Mr. Andrews. “They deserve an up-or-down vote on a Security Council resolution that will stop the sale of weapons being used to kill them. Too many families are finding themselves in the crosshairs of weapons of war that Member States are supplying. This must end.”

The report also names countries that have authorized weapons transfers to Myanmar since 2018, a time he said when military atrocity crimes against the Rohingya ethnic minority were widely documented.

It further calls for coordinated action by countries to cut the junta’s access to revenue.

Mr. Andrews urged the Security Council to take action.

“I appeal to Member States of the UN Security Council who are appalled by the killing of Myanmar civilians to put forward a resolution to stop it,” he said.

“Transparency matters. The Security Council should consider, at the very least, a resolution to ban weapons that are being used by the Myanmar military to kill innocent people.”

Special Rapporteurs like Mr. Andrews are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues.

They operate in their individual capacity and are neither UN staff nor do they receive a salary from the Organization.

Ukraine: Senior UN officials decry growing risks of dangerous breaches

“I am deeply concerned that any significant escalation in military action creates a heightened risk of serious human rights violations as well as violations of international humanitarian law”, said Michele Bachelet.

She underscored that at this critical juncture, “the priority, above all”, must be to prevent a further escalation, and to avert civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

“I call on all sides to cease hostilities and to pave the way for dialogue instead of setting the stage for further violence”, the High Commissioner said, assuring that her office continues to monitor the situation closely “from our offices on both sides of the contact line in the east of the country.”

Only one path forward

Russia’s recognition violates the Minsk Agreements – the fragile peace process regulating the conflict in eastern Ukraine – and increases fears that Russia is posed for a full-scale invasion.

Before the General Assembly meets on Ukraine tomorrow, the body’s president, Abdulla Shahid, issued a statement calling on the parties to “intensify negotiations and deescalate the current trajectory through dialogue”.

He reminded that a full commitment to the UN Charter, its purposes and its principles is “the only path to ensure lasting peace.”

Protecting health systems ‘paramount’

The World Health Organization (WHO) joined others in expressing its deepest concern over the escalating crisis in eastern Ukraine.

Noting that the right to health is “at the centre of humanitarian response”, it said in a statement: “The WHO Country Office in Ukraine, together with the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ukraine and in coordination with WHO/Europe, continues to work closely with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in providing health support to meet the needs of populations in affected areas”.

The assertion underscored that protecting health systems is “paramount, particularly during these challenging times” to guarantee the timely a delivery of essential health support and services to contain the spread of COVID-19 and maintain polio prevention and response.

“Ensuring the health and well-being of all people lies at the core of WHO’s mandate and commitments in all situations, including humanitarian crises and conflicts”, the statement concluded.

‘A stark reminder’

The UN humanitarian coordination body, OCHA, told journalists in Geneva that in recent days there had been reported increases in hostilities in areas controlled by the de facto authorities.

OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke called it “a stark reminder” of the reality that children, women and men of Eastern Ukraine have faced for the past eight years.

“We call on everybody and all parties to protect civilians and protect civilian infrastructure in this very volatile situation.”

Responding to journalists, he said that the UN office has had a humanitarian response plan predating recent events, which focuses on pre-existing humanitarian needs, including a convoy that had delivered humanitarian supplies to non-Government-controlled areas last Friday.

However, he lamented that funding remains short, and urged the donor community to provide additional resources.

‘Volatile, unpredictable’

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said that it was monitoring the “highly…unpredictable” situation and stood ready to help in case any new humanitarian needs arose.

It was important to remember also that there is a pre-existing displacement crisis caused by earlier conflict in Eastern Ukraine, UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said, a reference to the 1.5 million people who’ve been forced to leave their homes since the onset of conflict in 2014.

According to the UN’s 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine, some 144,000 internally displaced persons live in government-controlled areas of Donetsk, Luhansk and other areas.

The most vulnerable include older people, who represent 32 per cent of the people targeted for assistance in 2022, and the children of vulnerable families, who make up 14 per cent.

The response efforts also aim to meet the critical needs of 225,000 persons with disabilities.

‘Race against time’ as Madagascar braces for 4th tropical cyclone in a month

While tropical cyclone Emnati was due to make landfall in the south of the East African State on Tuesday – on Madagascar’s east coast – central and southern areas were also likely to be affected.

“We are in a race against time to protect those who dealt with the fury of the first three extreme weather events from the impact of Emnati,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for UN humanitarian coordination office, OCHA.

“Response teams have been deployed earlier to support the Government-led response.”

Lending a hand

To help boost the response, UN humanitarians have appealed for $26 million in funding since cyclone Batsirai made landfall earlier this month.

The World Food Programme (WFP) acknowledged that the new storm would increase the needs of those already reeling from four weeks of weather chaos and said that it was ready to support those affected.

More than 1.6 million people need humanitarian assistance, including 334,000 in the Grand Sud who are facing emergency levels of food insecurity – following recurring drought and the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to boosting staff numbers on the ground, the UN agency is coordinating with the Government to distribute hot meals in affected areas and 148 tonnes of stored food while awaiting additional supplies, when it is safe to make deliveries.

Typhoon season

Although it is the typhoon season in the Indian Ocean, it is rare to see four storms hitting the same country in the space of four weeks, said Clare Nullis from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

“We had been concerned yesterday that it might strengthen to a strong category three or even four, but fortunately, that didn’t happen; but even so the winds are going to be very high, there have been high winds, destructive gusts of between 150 to 200 kilometres per hour, and it’s a big storm, so these winds are going to cover a large radius.”

Dangerous flooding expected

Heavy rains are also expected along the path of the storm – up to 250 millimetres in the space of 24 hours on the flat and from 400 to 500mm at higher altitudes.

Noting that the rains will cause “bad flooding and landslides”, Ms. Nullis explained, “the land is waterlogged, and it can’t absorb any more water.”

There may also be significant flooding in coastal areas, said the WMO official, citing the combination of a “cyclonic swell” associated with waves close to 10 metres high offshore and a sea level rise of about one metre.

Weather events wreak Havoc

In late January, Madagascar was hit by Tropical Storm Ana and on 5 February, tropical cyclone Batsirai slammed into central areas, impacting 270,000 people.

More than 21,000 people are still displaced and a further 5,000 people were affected by tropical storm Dumako, which struck on 15 February, according to the UN humanitarian coordination body, OCHA.

Around 21,000 people are still displaced and 20,500 homes have been destroyed, flooded or damaged by Batsirai.

“Some $26 million will be required to support the battery response over the coming three months, but requirements are likely to rise further based on the impact of this new and dangerous emergency cyclone,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.

Ukraine crisis testing ‘entire international system’ – UN chief

“Our world is facing the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years – certainly in my tenure as Secretary-General,” he said.

Having cut short an overseas visit that included “a very important summit of African leaders”, the UN chief told journalists that “we face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come.”

Stem any further escalation

Mr. Guterres rushed back to UN headquarters in New York “deeply troubled by the latest developments regarding Ukraine.”

He highlighted reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and “the real risk of further escalation on the ground”.

And the Secretary-General drew attention to “the safety and wellbeing” of all those who have already suffered from “so much death, destruction and displacement”.

Violating Ukrainian sovereignty

“Let me be clear: The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called ‘independence’ of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”, spelled out the top UN official.

He argued that such a unilateral measure not only conflicts directly with the principles of the UN Charter but is also inconsistent with the so-called Friendly Relations Declaration of the General Assembly, which the International Court of Justice has repeatedly cited as representing international law.

‘Death blow’ to Minsk agreements

Mr. Guterres described Russia’s move as “a death blow” to the Security Council-endorsed Minsk Agreements, the fragile peace process regulating the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

He also highlighted that “the principles of the UN Charter are not an a la carte menu.”

“They cannot be applied selectively. Member States have accepted them all and they must apply them all”, underscored the UN chief.

‘Perversion’ of peacekeeping

Mr. Guterres then drew the media’s attention to what he called “the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping”.

Expressing pride over the achievements of UN Peacekeeping operations “in which so many Blue Helmets have sacrificed their lives to protect civilians”, he reminded that when troops of one country enter another’s territory without its consent, “they are not impartial peacekeepers”.

“They are not peacekeepers at all,” attested the top UN official.

The principles of the UN Charter are not an a la carte menu – UN chief

A critical moment

The UN, in line with the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, “stands fully behind the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders”, stated the Secretary-General.

He reminded the reporters that the Organization continues to support the people of Ukraine through its humanitarian operations and human rights efforts.

At this critical moment, he called for “an immediate ceasefire and re-establishment of the rule of law”.

“We need restraint and reason. We need de-escalation now,” spelled out the UN chief, urging all to “refrain from actions and statements that would take this dangerous situation over the brink”.

Return to dialogue, negotiations

“It is high time to return to the path of dialogue and negotiations. We must rally and meet this challenge together for peace, and to save the people of Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war”, Mr. Guterres said.

“I am fully committed to all efforts to resolve this crisis without further bloodshed”.

The Secretary-General reiterated that his good offices are available and would not relent in the search for a peaceful solution.

Omicron sublineage BA.2 remains a variant of concern

BA.2 should also remain classified as Omicron, WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) which was held yesterday.

SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and the expert group meets regularly to discuss available data on transmissibility and severity of variants as well as their impact on diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

They stressed that public health authorities should continue to monitor BA.2 as a distinct sublineage of Omicron, currently the dominant variant circulating globally.

Studies underway

Omicron is made up of several sublineages, including BA.1 and BA.2, all of which are being monitored by WHO and partners.

BA.2 is among the most common, with reported sequences increasing in recent weeks, relative to BA.1, though global circulation of all variants is currently declining.

The experts explained that BA.2 differs from BA.1 in its genetic sequence, and that it has a growth advantage over this sublineage.

Although studies are ongoing to understand why, initial data suggest BA.2 appears inherently more transmissible than BA.1, currently the most common Omicron sublineage reported.

However, this difference in transmissibility appears to be much smaller than that between BA.1 and the Delta variant, the experts said.

Overall decline reported

Meanwhile, although BA.2 sequences are increasing in proportion relative to other Omicron sublineages, there is still a reported decline in overall cases globally.

Furthermore, while cases of reinfection with BA.2 following infection with BA.1 have been documented, preliminary data from studies show that infection with BA.1 provides strong protection against reinfection with BA.2.

WHO will continue to closely monitor the BA.2 lineage as part of Omicron.

The UN agency urged countries to remain vigilant, to monitor and report sequences, and to conduct independent and comparative analyses of the different Omicron sublineages.

Globally, there were more than 424,820,000 cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, and more than 5.8 million deaths, according to WHO data.

Long-awaited local elections will offer Central Africans opportunity to expand political space

Updating the Council on events since President Faustin-Archange Touadéra declared a unilateral ceasefire last October, Special Representative Mankeur Ndiaye – who also heads the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSCA) – alerted that “the security situation remains worrying”.

In some parts of the territory, military operations are underway against armed groups, notably the Coalition of Patriots for Change, he said.

In turn, these militia are carrying out reprisals against both the national security forces and the population.

Sexual violence and child recruitment

While noting progress in terms of regaining control of territory previously occupied by armed groups, Mr. Ndiaye, in his final briefing to the Council, denounced violations of human rights and international humanitarian law continue to be committed by all parties to the conflict.

These include the excessive use of force targeting certain communities, gender-based sexual violence and the recruitment, abuse, and use of children by armed groups.

Against that backdrop, the MINUSCA chief urged Central African authorities to conduct the necessary investigations, prosecute the perpetrators and bring justice to the victims.

Positive signs

The UN official went on to outline positive steps towards restoring peace and stability, following the adoption of CAR’s Joint Road Map for Peace on 16 October, including a visit to Bangui on 14 January by representatives of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.

He called on the Government to demonstrate more commitment to stay the course, including through the adoption of follow-up mechanisms and a clear timeline.

Touching on MINUSCA’s proactive role in facilitating the peace process – such as by helping to loosen the political deadlock and restore a climate of trust, which has resulted in the return of the democratic opposition to the Committee organizing national dialogues – he stressed that the process should be revitalized through the complementary role played by the 2019 Khartoum Accord and the more recently adopted Joint Road Map.

Hope for impartiality

The UN Special Representative also welcomed the holding of the first hearing of the Special Criminal Court, underscoring the importance of its independence and impartiality in order to carry out its mandate.

COVID-19: Health workers face ‘dangerous neglect’, warn WHO, ILO

Approximately 115,500 health workers died from COVID-19 in the first 18 months of the pandemic, linked to a “systemic lack of safeguards”, they noted.

In a joint call for action from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN bodies insisted that the coronavirus crisis had contributed to “an additional heavy toll” on health workers.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector was among the most hazardous sectors to work in,” said WHO’s Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

Physical injury and burnout

“Only a few healthcare facilities had programmes in place for managing health and safety at work,” Dr. Neira continued. “Health workers suffered from infections, musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, workplace violence and harassment, burnout, and allergies from the poor working environment.”

To address this, WHO and ILO have released new country guidelines for health centres at national and local levels.

“Such programmes should cover all occupational hazards – infectious, ergonomic, physical, chemical, and psycho-social,” the agencies noted, adding that States that have either developed or are actively implementing occupational health and safety programmes in health settings had seen reductions in work-related injuries and absences due to sickness and improvements in the work environment, productivity and retention of health workers.

Workers’ rights

“Like all other workers, should enjoy their right to decent work, safe and healthy working environments and social protection for health care, sickness absence and occupational diseases and injuries,” insisted ILO’s Alette van Leur, Director, ILO Sectoral Policies Department.

The development comes as the agencies indicated that more than one-in-three health facilities lack hygiene stations at the point of care, while fewer than one-in-six countries had a national policy in place for healthy and safe working environments within the health sector.

“Sickness absence and exhaustion exacerbated pre-existing shortages of health workers and undermined the capacities of health systems to respond to the increased demand for care and prevention during the crisis,” said James Campbell, Director, WHO Health Workforce Department.

“This guide provides recommendations on how to learn from this experience and better protect our health workers.”

Halt all retaliation attacks against Indian journalist Rana Ayyub – UN experts

The appeal from Special Rapporteurs on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan and situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor follows what they have called “relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks” against Rana Ayyub – including death and rape threats.

Rana Ayyub, independent journalist and defender women’s human rights, continues to be the target of intensifying online harassment by far-right Hindu nationalist groups, they said.

‘Maliciously targeted’

They pointed to the attacks as resulting from Ms. Ayyub’s reporting on issues affecting minority Muslims in the country, her criticism of the Government for its handling of the pandemic, and comments that she made on a recent ban on hijabs at schools and colleges in Karnataka state.

“In response to Ms. Ayyub’s efforts to shine a light on public interest issues and hold power to account through her reporting, she has been maliciously targeted with anonymous death and rape threats by organised groups online,” said the experts.

“The lack of condemnation and proper investigation by the Government, coupled with the legal harassment it has itself inflicted on Ms. Ayyub, has only served to falsely legitimise the attacks and attackers and further endangered her safety.”

End the judicial harassment

For a number of years, the Indian authorities have been trageting Ms. Ayyub with various forms of harassment, the independent experts stated.

On 11 February, for the second time in six months, the journalist’s bank account and other assets were frozen in response to seemingly baseless allegations of money laundering and tax fraud related to her crowd-funding campaigns to provide assistance to those affected by the pandemic.

As with many of the false and defamatory accusations made against Ms. Ayyub in retaliation for her reporting, the experts said, the bogus allegations can be traced back to a far-right social media group.

Government failing to comply

Previously, UN human rights experts had written to the Indian Government on a number of occasions to express their concerns over threats against and harassment of the journalist.

“The Government is not only failing in its obligation to protect Ms. Ayyub as a journalist, but through its own investigations of Ms. Ayyub, it is also contributing to and exacerbating her perilous situation”, the Special Rapporteurs said.

“It is imperative that the authorities take urgent measures to protect her from the onslaught of threats and hate online and end the investigation against her.”

Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not paid for their work.

New initiative to improve nutrition standards for school meals

In many countries school meals represent a significant portion of children’s daily diets, the partners said, and it is vital that they directly contribute to nutrition needs.

“Through this comprehensive toolkit and technical support to improve school meals, the broader school food environments and procurement processes from local food systems, FAO aims to support governments and institutions in providing healthier school food to children and adolescents, therefore marking a step forward towards ensuring their Right to Food,” said Nancy Aburto, Deputy Director of the agency’s Food and Nutrition Division.

Guidance and strategies

The project, School food nutrition guidelines and standards for safeguarding children and adolescents’ right to food, is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).

The partners will also produce guidance for schools to implement hands-on food education strategies, including on how to use school meal menus as learning materials in the classroom.

Other interventions will also be promoted, such as restricting the marketing of sugary beverages in school premises.

Furthermore, national bodies will be supported in efforts to integrate the new nutrition standards into legislation.

Far beyond food

Community ownership is another key part of the project, the UN agencies added, including through strengthening mechanisms where students and parents can report non-compliance with nutrition standards.

“We have a global consensus now around the need for school meals and its benefits to various sectors. School meals go far beyond the plate of food – they can impact education, nutrition, health, agriculture and food systems,” said Carmen Burbano, Director of the School-based Programmes Division at WFP.

“For these programmes to unfold their full potential we need to work on a next generation of school meal programmes – programmes that contribute to sustainable food systems and ensure that children receive healthy and nutritious meals.”

The methodology and guidance package will be piloted in Cambodia and Ghana. They will then be adjusted and finalized through regional and global workshops.