Globally, IBFAN was founded in 1979 in response to a critical public health crisis. At the time, aggressive and misleading marketing by baby food companies was convincing mothers to stop breastfeeding. This shift to commercial infant formula (often prepared with unsafe water or diluted to save money) led to widespread malnutrition, severe illness, and preventable infant deaths worldwide. In response, a global movement of independent citizen groups united to form IBFAN with a clear mission: to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding so that every baby has a healthy and safe start in life. Today, IBFAN is active in over 160 countries with nearly 300 member groups.

Click here to know more about IBFAN Global.

Building on this global vision, IBFAN Southeast Asia (IBFAN SEA) brings together national groups, advocates, and health defenders across eleven countries (Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Timor Leste, the Philippines, and Singapore), alongside Australia as an observer.

Together, the network aims to strengthen regional solidarity and systems in Southeast Asia to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding by navigating the full potential and ensuring effective implementation of protection, in the face of emerging digital threats, climate crises, and rights-based challenges:

1. To advocate for stronger regional and global policy that protect mothers, and infant and young child feeding by reinforcing and adapting the framework of the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes for current digital marketing landscape.

    

2. To build regional capacity to monitor and counter unethical digital marketing of breastmilk substitutes, particularly in online platforms, through knowledge sharing and collaborative strategies.

    

3. To elevate breastfeeding as a sustainable, climate-resilient practice, and integrate it into actionable disaster preparedness, environmental policy, and health resilience frameworks to support mothers and babies during crises.

    

4. To advocate for stronger legal protections and systemic support for breastfeeding mothers, including improved maternity protection, workplace support, and healthcare integration through ethical and conflict-free collaborations with civil society and professional networks.