Mobilising strategies of the global breast feeding movement: building alliances with the women's movement

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Date
2001
Authors
Amin, Sarah
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Abstract
This thesis aims to examine several mobilising strategies of the global breastfeeding movement which have been effective in advancing the goals ofbetter infant and women's health by restoring a breastfeeding culture. It also looks at the breastfeeding movement from the perspective of its linkages with the global women's movement, which seeks to empower women though a better health and reproductive culture. The breastfeeding movement employs five broad strategies to protect, promote and support breastfeeding: networking, capacity building, advocacy, outreach, and media and communications. Within these. five strategic programmes of action have been identified as being the most instmmental. They are: (i) The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, (ii) World Breastfeeding Week, (iii) Code Advocacy, (iv) Alliance Building and International Representation, and (v) Women and Work. Each of these strategic programmes are analysed from the point of view of their activities, outcomes and effectiveness. This thesis focuses on the fourth strategy of alliance building, in particular, with the wome_n's (health) movement, and reviews the place of breastfeeding in the women's agenda. The research shows that breastfeeding has a low priority in the women's movement, and is often ignored or marginalised in feminist discourse. Some reasons point to such feminist traditions as liberal and radical feminism which view breastfeeding as essentialist - inhibiting women's independence, choice and autonomy. The researcher has sought to establish a more centralised position for breastfeeding and argues for [ mainstreaming breastfeeding within the women's movement. Five key issue areas are !< ~ ~ identified to strengthen the theoretical and strategic linkages between the two ~ r: p movements. These include: (i) Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights; (ii) Women's Health and Nutrition; (iii) Women's Empowerment; (iv) Womm 's Productive and Reproductive Work; and (v) Women and the Environment. The research also looks at the practical ways in which the breastfeeding movement has been linking with the women's movement in the past and present, and recommends actions for future collaboration. Elements for a revised theory on reproductive health and rights is also offered giving motherhood a central position. In terms of theoretical approaches, the research draws mainly from Feminism - socialist, standpoint and radical feminism - and critical theory. These approaches are interpretive in nature, and have an emancipatory interest, that knowledge is meant for change and to change. They reject an objective science for a subjective science which recognises the historical location of the researcher, while encouraging reflexivity. Three methods of data gathering and analysis have been used for this research: in-depth interviews, content analysis and participant observation. A multi-methods and multidata source approach has been used because the ethnographic field is a global network where its participants and activities are based in different parts of the world. The data gathered from interviews, documents and participant observation are analysed using qualitative methods.
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Keywords
Breastfeeding , Women's movement
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