ChildFund Laos has joined a group of more than 20 aid and development agencies working in Laos who are refusing to apply for a development prize funded by Nestle.
The aid agencies sent a letter to Nestle on 24 May 2011, decrying the company’s violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
The letter states: “Unethical marketing by food companies, including Nestle, contributes to the situation of high infant and child mortality in Laos.
“Babies and children are dying in Laos because food companies such as Nestle are weakening national regulatory frameworks and aggressively flooding the market with information that dilutes public health campaigns that promote breastfeeding.”
ChildFund Laos country manager Chris Mastaglio says: “The communities in which we work face high levels of child sickness and mortality, and it has been positive to see so many organisations in Laos come together around this important issue. It is critical that all sectors, including the private sector, are held up to the highest standards of accountability, even more so when the lives of children are potentially at risk.”
ChildFund Australia today welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting the world’s poorest children and their families through increased aid.
The Government announced last night that it will deliver on its election promise to boost the aid budget to 0.5 per cent of Australia’s national income by 2015, with an increase to 0.35 per cent over the coming financial year.
“This is a very good outcome for the most vulnerable children and families living in our region and beyond,” says ChildFund Australia CEO Nigel Spence. “Australian aid initiatives are highly regarded internationally for their effectiveness and innovation. They deserve support.
“The aid effort is contributing to real reductions in global poverty. It is why child deaths are declining, more children are in school, polio has been virtually eradicated, and deaths from malaria and HIV/AIDS are reducing worldwide.
“Whether it is long-term development programs such as the ChildFund/AusAID APAC program assisting children affected by HIV/AIDS in east Africa, or the Australia-Indonesia Education Partnership, or humanitarian assistance in Haiti, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, there are many examples of excellent Australian programs making a difference.”
Photo: Increasing access to education for children in the Pacific is a key focus of Australia’s aid program [photo by Cindy Bryson/ChildFund Australia]
