Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign Brings Back International Experience From UNICEF UK ’Baby Friendly Initiative’ Annual Conference
UK visit solidifies Sharjah’s presence on the global map of baby-friendliness, supported by the Ministry of Health
The Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign has participated in the UNICEF ‘Baby Friendly initiative’ annual conference, which was held in Cardiff in the United Kingdom. This is one of the world’s largest assemblies of advocates of a baby-friendly environment, and marked its 15th edition. The campaign benefited from numerous ideas shared by participants, and some of these lessons could be implemented in the Emirate of Sharjah.
Delegates were briefed on vital steps that will encourage breastfeeding and ensure baby-friendly hospitals and clinics. They also visited baby-friendly community centers where they were introduced to the best methods of gaining the participation of the community, solidifying breastfeeding as the first choice in the minds of mothers, and raising the standards of maternity and child care.
Commenting on the event, Dr Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, Executive Committee Director of the Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign said: "In just a matter of months, Sharjah has achieved quantum leaps that took other countries years to accomplish. Through awareness, our campaign is enriching the minds and touching the hearts of the entire society. We strive to create a supportive environment, and we reward the community’s participation through certificates and recognition. All this strengthens our international standards and brings us closer to our goals."
She added: "Our participation in such a high profile international event confirms that Sharjah is now a global player. We are inspired by success stories from countries like the UK, Germany and the Scandinavian countries. On the other hand, they are also learning from our successes and gaining a different point of view."
The ‘Baby-Friendly’ initiative was launched by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992, to safeguard the health of babies and mothers around the world. For this conference, the agenda included a tour of Bristol, which was ranked the UK’s most baby-friendly city. The UAE delegation was led by the Director of Maternal and Child Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr Hajar Al Hosani, who was accompanied by several representatives. The delegation shared some constructive ideas which can be applied to ensure baby-friendly public places and nurseries.
Dr Al Ghazal concluded: "Recent statistics show that breast-feeding rates continue to increase, and this is terrific motivation for women in the Emirate of Sharjah. Developed countries typically have a higher proportion of working mothers, which can be an obstacle to breastfeeding. However the reality on the ground proves that these countries’ baby-friendly campaigns have suceeded in overcoming the major challenges, so Sharjah can take great inspiration from such cases."
The Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign was initiated in March 2012 under the generous patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Budoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), President of the Campaign and Honorary President of the Breastfeeding Friends Association.
The campaign encompasses four initiatives: Breastfeeding-Friendly Nurseries, Mother and Baby-Friendly Public Places, Mother-Friendly Workplaces and Baby-Friendly Health Facilities. The campaign is sponsored by Sharjah Islamic Bank.
Emirate: Sharjah
Date: Jan 8, 2013
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