Look What They’re Doing ! Become a Code monitor for World Breastfeeding Week and beyond. The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2006 is Code Watch: 25 Years of Protecting Breastfeeding. You can find out more about it at: http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/ The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981, and aims to protect breastfeeding from unethical marketing practices by the baby food industry. The main principle of the Code is that there should be no advertising or any other form of promotion of infant formulas, follow-on milks, feeding bottles or teats. Complementary foods, such as cereals and baby food in small jars, should not be promoted for use below the age of six months. Companies invest millions in promotion because it is effective: their sales increase. Are companies in your town or village following the Code ? Or are they still trying to persuade mothers, fathers or anyone else to buy and use breastmilk substitutes, feeding bottles or teats? Are there special promotions of baby milks in the shops? Do mothers receive gifts, samples or discount coupons? Do doctors or nurses promote artificial feeding instead of breastfeeding?  Are there posters, calendars or other materials in hospitals or clinics that advertise baby milks, baby food, bottles or teats? Are baby food companies creating conflicts of interest by sponsoring conferences on infant feeding for health professionals? These are just some ways companies persuade mothers to give up breastfeeding and buy their products. Can you find any of these or other examples of promotion? Marketing techniques differ from country to country. It will be interesting to have an overview. Let us know what’s happening! We want you to let us know how companies are marketing their products in your neighbourhood. Please take a picture of any promotional activity or advertisement that you spot, and fill in the special ‘Quick and Easy’ forms available to you on http://www.babyfeedinglawgroup.org.uk/  You will also find examples of past violations. If you are outside the UK please use the form at http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/ . Results arriving before the end of World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) will be submitted to a global monitoring project (UK monitors can continue submitting violations after this date for our UK Law campaign). It is very important that you give detailed information about who, what, when and where!  (which company, what brand, what day, hospital or magazine or doctors’ office in…place) Please note that your identity will be kept confidential but your name and email are needed for authentication purposes and any follow-up questions.   It is through people like you keeping your eyes and ears open that companies are held to account. Be part of the surveillance network and help to stop marketing malpractice. World Breastfeeding Week is coordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), of which the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) is a member. IBFAN groups and others around the world are mobilising their supporters. See the website http://www.ibfan.org/ for information about the Code and IBFAN's global monitoring reports. This alert has been adapted by the UK IBFAN group, Baby Milk Action, for its supporters.  If you have any questions or are interested in participating in a monitoring training day in the UK in the coming months then contact mikebrady@babymilkaction.org Save the Children (UK) is recruiting volunteer monitors at the present time - click here for details.