General Activities

1. Seminaire for Media Persona
2. Special issue on the importance of breastfeeding 
3. Coverage the mather of breastfeeding by a popular magazine called "Desatiya" 
4. Panel discussions over the media 
5. News paper articles written by resource persons on the theme of breastfeeding

Proposed activity is a multidisciplinary supported one. Progrmme is organized by the Ministry of Plan Implementation with support of the Technical Committee of the Sri Lanka Breastfeeding Code, UNICEF, Dept. Of Information, Broad Casting Corporation, Television, ministry of Health, Trade, Education, Legal Draftsman Dpt., and other line agencies. 

National Workshop Conducted by Sarvodaya Women's Movement

"The 'dream product' is human breastmilk, and yet we are not using it" thus the UNESCO publication pinpoints on the very ironic if not tragic phenomena that has overcome the human kind of the mammalian species. They are increasingly forsaking the natural means of feeding their newborn, be it in the developing or the developed world for reasons which are special to them. Great effort is being made by the Health Authorities, professional groups and NGO's to arrest this dangerous trend-the switchover from breastfeeding to bottle feeding. 

Sarvodaya Women's Movement and autonomous body affiliated to the Sri Lanka Sarvodaya Shramadana Society, is at the forefront of the campaign to make them aware of the Formula. Commemorating the Breastfeeding week a wprkshop was held on the 2nd August 1997 at Sarvodaya Headquarters. Four hundred and daughters of marriageable age, adolescent girls, newy married women and other resource persons made up the eager audience. 

Mrs. Amara Peeris President of the Movement inaugurating the workshop explained the objectives and introduced the Guest Speaker professor Priyani Zoysa, leading medical consultant and nutritionist who spent a life time for the welfare of mothers and babies. The main feature of her talk on the subject was her specific and definite pronouncements that she made giving the impression that she was not only an authority on the subject but also that she was genuinely concerned about the situation. She explained in detail the environmental advantages of breastfeeding to the mother and the baby alike. She also elaborated in no uncertains terms the grave situation that would arise by resorting to the formula. Prof Priyani further elaborated to the mothers on the emotional hygienic and economic and ecological consequences of bottle feeding. Her lectures was so well received by the audience that it provoked a very enthusiastic dialogue. Several questions were put to this eminent professor, who would not have been accessible to them normally. To a very common inquiry as to why the child refuses to suck the milk from the breast after some time she answered that if the child gets used to the bottle then the easier method would be resorted to rather than the difficult method of sucking milk from the breast. As a nutritionist she insisted that weaning mothers should introduce solids and "Cunjee" (porridge) and not powdered milk. 

The next speakers was an eminent lawyer - Mrs. Malkanthi Wickramasingha, Deputy Legal Draftsman, who spoke on the subject looking at it from a legal point of view. She pointed out that the Breastfeeding Code of 1981 laid down certain norms that mothers, health workers milk powder distributors should follow. Though it had remained dormant a committee has been appointed to take advance steps following the Code. Although this coed has no legal status she said that The Consumer Protection Act could be invoked to prevent the dissemination of false information on the formula to the detriment of the practice of breastfeeding. She also said that the steps taken by the government to give long maternity leave and other facilities were designed to promote the breastfeeding habit. 

Another talk by Mrs. Mitta Weerakkody on "Mother, Child and the family and Environment" was delivered bringing out some hometruths quite familiar to the mothers present. There was an impromptu speech contest among the participants. A Poster Competition was also held. Articles written by eminent persons were read. Lullaby songs and songs of topical interest were sung. There were group discussions interposed with musical interludes, to enlive the proceedings. This very successful programme was brought to a close with a vote of thanks.