Turkey’s contradiction: very low early initiation of breastfeeding rates and high rates of hospitalized births

Turkey presented its combined 2^nd and 3^rd report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child on Friday 1^st June 2012. IBFAN presented an alternative report on the situation of infant and young child feeding in Turkey.

The Committee members posed many questions based on IBFAN’s report. It addressed the contradiction between the very low rates of early initiation of bf and the high rates of births taking place in a hospital facility, which reveals a lack of adequate support to breastfeeding by health care professionals.  Thus, the Committee also interrogated on the extent to which existing certified baby-friendly hospitals are being monitored and based on which indicators.

The Committee also posed questions on the measures being taken by the CRC Committee on the effective implementation and monitoring of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and on maternity protection measures.