back to home

 

Business and Human Rights: a resource website

 

   Children (issues other than child labour)   

See also the following sections of this website:

NEW (recent additions to this section; top item is most recent addition)

'Chocolate for footballs' scheme criticised [UK] - Cadbury has been criticised for a promotional scheme that encourages children to eat large amounts of chocolate in exchange for sports gear. (BBC News, 29 Apr. 2003)

Dying for drugs - A hard-hitting investigation into the global power of the world's most profitable business - the pharmaceutical industry...In Africa the team sees how one of the world's biggest drug companies [Pfizer] experimented on children without their parents' knowledge or consent. In Canada they reveal how a drug company [Apotex] attempted to silence a leading academic who had doubts about their drug. In South Korea cameras follow the attempts of desperately ill patients to make a leading drug company [Novartis] sell them the drugs they need to save their lives at an affordable price. And in Honduras the team uncovers the brutal consequences of drug companies' pricing policies. (Channel 4 television [UK], 27 Apr. 2003)

Low Levels of Lead Damage Children - It can reduce IQ, delay puberty, new research says...The main exposure to lead [in USA] now occurs in housing built before 1950, where paints with high levels of lead are more common. (Ed Edelson, HealthScoutNews, 16 Apr. 2003)

A detailed European action plan will soon be unveiled to deal with the growing problem of illness and disease caused by environmental pollution. Special focus will be given to children who are most vulnerable to environmental hazards. (Welcomeurope, 4 Apr. 2003)

International standards & guidelines: 

Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) {···français···español}

WTO statement on the prevention of organized sex tourism (World Tourism Organization, 1995)

United Nations materials:

The rights of the Child [Fact Sheet No. 10 (rev. 1)] (U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Websites:

Amnesty International documents: Children 

Baby Milk Action website

Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)

Children [India] (InfoChange [India])

Children and Human Rights Links (University of Minnesota Human Rights Library)

Children's Environmental Health Network

Children's Rights (Save the Children)

The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

ECPAT: A Global Network to Protect Children against Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Human Rights Watch:

Save the Children (U.K.)

Terre des hommes:

Toxic Chemicals & Health: Kids' Health (Natural Resources Defense Council)

UNICEF: Procurement Policies - Child labour - Land mines

Volkswagen: street children project -...The project, begun in September 1999 in partnership with the children's rights organization terre des homes, aims to supply continuous, long-term financial support for street children projects that are run by local institutions and initiatives near Volkswagen sites around the world (Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Germany). (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)

Youth Career Initiative: Empowering and protecting our children -...a business and community partnership with the international hospitality industry to utilise the global resources of the industry and allied partners to enable young people at risk in poor countries to obtain education and training in the tourism sector [initiative of Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum and the International Hotels and Restaurants Association, being launched in South Africa, India, Brasil, Central America, Mexico, and the Carribean] (Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum)

Other materials:

2003:

'Chocolate for footballs' scheme criticised [UK] - Cadbury has been criticised for a promotional scheme that encourages children to eat large amounts of chocolate in exchange for sports gear. (BBC News, 29 Apr. 2003)

Dying for drugs - A hard-hitting investigation into the global power of the world's most profitable business - the pharmaceutical industry...In Africa the team sees how one of the world's biggest drug companies [Pfizer] experimented on children without their parents' knowledge or consent. In Canada they reveal how a drug company [Apotex] attempted to silence a leading academic who had doubts about their drug. In South Korea cameras follow the attempts of desperately ill patients to make a leading drug company [Novartis] sell them the drugs they need to save their lives at an affordable price. And in Honduras the team uncovers the brutal consequences of drug companies' pricing policies. (Channel 4 television [UK], 27 Apr. 2003)

Low Levels of Lead Damage Children - It can reduce IQ, delay puberty, new research says...The main exposure to lead [in USA] now occurs in housing built before 1950, where paints with high levels of lead are more common. (Ed Edelson, HealthScoutNews, 16 Apr. 2003)

A detailed European action plan will soon be unveiled to deal with the growing problem of illness and disease caused by environmental pollution. Special focus will be given to children who are most vulnerable to environmental hazards. (Welcomeurope, 4 Apr. 2003)

Toyota settles US Clean Air Act suit for $34 mln [USA] - Toyota Motor Corp has pledged to improve anti-pollution controls on old, publicly owned buses that were not made by Toyota as part of a $34 million package to settle a Clear Air Act lawsuit, the U.S. Justice Department said..."With this bus retrofit action, our nation's school children will be breathing less of the small particles that can cause lung and respiratory damage," said EPA Administrator Christine Whitman. (Deborah Charles, Reuters, 10 Mar. 2003)

IOM Calls for an End to Violence Against Migrant Women and the Trafficking of Women and Children into Sexual Bondage (International Organization for Migration, 7 Mar. 2003)

US EPA proposes cancer guidelines for children - Infants and toddlers have 10 times the risk of cancer from hazardous chemicals than adults do, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said this week in its first guidelines that define the greater risks that children face...Chemicals also can affect babies more. They include vinyl chloride - a gas used in making PVC or polyvinyl chloride - diethylnitrosamine - found in tobacco smoke - and the insecticide DDT. (Maggie Fox, Reuters, 5 Mar. 2003) 

Lagos Pupils Get Nutritional Supplement [Nigeria] - Lagos State Goverment, in conjunction with UNESCO and the West African Milk Company (WAMCO), embarked on the programme...The programme is designed to provide milk twice a week. (Yemi Akinsuyi, This Day [Nigeria], 28 Feb. 2003)

EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] report details how toxics harm kids' health - Additional risks to California children are listed - A new federal report on children's exposure to environmental contaminants blames air pollutants, mercury, lead, pesticides and solvents for damaging health and causing birth defects. (Jane Kay, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 Feb. 2003)

China Serves as Dump Site for Computers - Unsafe Recycling Practice Grows Despite Import Ban -...The real costs are being borne by the people on the receiving end of the "e-waste." In towns along China's coast as well as in India and Pakistan, adults and children work for about $1.20 a day in unregulated and unsafe conditions. As rivers and soils absorb a mounting influx of carcinogens and other toxins, people are suffering high incidences of birth defects, infant mortality, tuberculosis and blood diseases, as well as particularly severe respiratory problems, according to recent reports by the state-controlled Guangdong Radio and the Beijing Youth newspaper. (Peter S. Goodman, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2003)

Accor hotel group vows to protect children - International hotel group Accor has signed a code of conduct to protect children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism. Accor has signed up to the ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) code. Western tour operators have joined previously, but Accor is the first big hotel group to do so. (Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut, Bangkok Post, 20 Feb. 2003)

Plastics industry loses out -...When chemicals companies Solvay and EVC decided to sue us in 1997, they were following in a long corporate tradition of using money and the courts to silence critics...Solvay and EVC were suing over our campaign to prevent poisonous PVC plastic being used in children's toys...In Italy the two companies sued us for damage to their image, reputation and for illegal claims. They also maintained "production of PVC and PVC products do not harm the environment". However the judge threw out all claims of the industry and ordered the companies to pay the legal costs. (Greenpeace, 20 Feb. 2003)

Bush Administration Hides Reports on Mercury Risks While Simultaneously Weakening Mercury Protections - The Sierra Club today called on the Bush Administration to immediately release a long-delayed report on the health risks children face from toxic mercury spewing from coal power plants. (Sierra Club, 20 Feb. 2003)

A Toxic Legacy on the Mexican Border - Abandoned U.S.-Owned Smelter in Tijuana Blamed for Birth Defects, Health Ailments (Kevin Sullivan, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2003)

Diarrhoea vaccine on fast track for poor nations -...The PATH project will work with vaccine manufacturers and developing country governments to finance clinical trials in developing countries and accelerate the vaccine's availability to those children who need it the most. (Natasha McDowell, SciDev.Net, 12 Feb. 2003)

Toxic Chemical Study Sounds Warning for Children - The most extensive study of the toxic chemicals to which Americans are exposed has found encouraging evidence that levels of lead, pesticides and tobacco related chemicals have declined over the past decade. But the report, released last week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offered worrying evidence that children are more exposed than adults to a range of toxic chemicals. (J.R. Pegg, Environment News Service, 4 Feb. 2003)

Banana workers get day in court - For two decades, the workers say, their efforts to win compensation for the damage done by DBCP [a pesticide] - including sterility, cancer, and birth defects in children - have been frustrated by the legal tactics of American chemical and fruit companies. But now they are getting their day in court...A ruling by a federal judge in New Orleans has opened the way for a lawsuit brought by 3,000 Central American banana workers seeking millions in damages, the first time one of these cases would be tried in the United States. (David Gonzalez, Trinidad Express [Trinidad & Tobago], 3 Feb. 2003)

MERCURY: Advocates Urge U.S. Not To Block Treaty Talks -...The UNEP group stressed a particular need to protect children, women of childbearing age, indigenous people, people dependent on fish and those who may be exposed at work. (UN Wire, 28 Jan. 2003)

Group accuses Doe Run of damage overseas - A coalition of environmental, labor and human-rights groups has singled out St. Louis-based mining company Doe Run in a report that documents alleged environmental and social abuses by American companies operating abroad...The report highlighted lead poisoning among children in La Oroya, Peru, where Doe Run operates a smelter. According to a government test, 99 percent of children tested had elevated lead levels. (Sara Shipley, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 23 Jan. 2003)

Baby milk marketing 'breaks rules' - A study in the British Medical Journal says manufacturers of powdered baby milk substitutes are violating international codes when selling their product to West Africans...The researchers found the code had been violated by 40 products, many made by national and international manufacturers like Danone and Nestle. (Ania Lichtarowicz, BBC News, 17 Jan. 2003)

2002:

Are Big Macs hazardous to children's health? Lawyers have filed a class-action lawsuit against McDonald's on behalf of New York children who have suffered health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. (Associated Press, 21 Nov. 2002)

Slave Labor: Trafficking in women and children -...Q: How did you estimate that 50,000 women and children are sold annually in the US?  A:...Many women and children are trafficked into the sex industry, but not all. Other trafficking involves things like sweatshop labor (Kristen Lombardi, The Phoenix [USA], 14-21 Nov. 2002)

Teenage Workers Don’t Need to Die [New Zealand] - “The pitiful fine of $15,000 awarded against a rubbish collection firm [Street Smart] for failing to ensure the safety of a teenage worker highlights the need for tougher workplace health and safety law,’ said Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson today. (New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, 13 Nov. 2002)

NIGERIA: Oil Giant, UNDP Sign Development Accord For Volatile Niger Delta - U.S. oil giant ChevronTexaco today said it signed an agreement with the U.N. Development Program to assist Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region, which is the source of more than 90 percent of Nigeria's foreign earnings but one of its most underdeveloped and violent areas.  Chevron...will work with the UNDP on projects for health, education, agriculture and empowerment of youth and women (UN Wire, 11 Nov. 2002)

POLIO: Aventis Pasteur Gives U.N. 30 Million Vaccine Doses - Aventis Pasteur Friday donated 30 million doses of polio vaccine to help the World Health Organization and UNICEF immunize 60 million children against polio in 16 West African countries. (UN Wire, 11 Nov. 2002)

Delhi Climate Justice Declaration -...We recognize that the impacts of climate change are disproportionately felt by the poor, women, youth, coastal peoples, indigenous peoples, fisherfolk, dalits, farmers and the elderly; We recognize that climate change is being caused primarily by industrialized nations and transnational corporations;... (India Climate Justice Forum, 1 Nov. 2002)

Tobacco Companies Pressed to Halt Youth Smoking Prevention Campaigns - The world's leading cancer, heart, and lung associations have called on the major tobacco companies [including Philip Morris, British American Tobacco, and Japan Tobacco International] to immediately halt their youth anti-smoking campaigns which they said not only have failed to reduce smoking but may actually be encouraging young people to smoke. (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 25 Oct. 2002)

CHEMICALS: "Gender-Benders" In Small Amounts Said To Alter Child Behavior - New research indicates even small amounts of so-called "gender bender" chemicals can cause preschool children to switch their traditional gender roles...Although the chemicals have been banned in industrialized countries, nearly 1.5 million metric tons of PCBs contained in paint, plastics and other materials are said to have been spread around the world, persisting in the environment and in body fat. (UN Wire, 22 Oct. 2002)

CHILD RIGHTS: U.N. Committee Examines Role Of Private Sector -...Committee Chairperson Jacob Egbert Doek said human rights committees and special rapporteurs are increasingly concerned about privatization of such basic services as health, water and education...it was recommended that governments retain sole responsibility in ensuring child rights, even if the private sector is involved in providing services...Speakers also said that state regulation of the private sector is needed; self-regulation by the private sector is insufficient (UN Wire, 23 Sep. 2002)

Pesticide link to childhood leukaemia - A newly established link between exposure to household pesticides and childhood leukaemia is an ominous warning of the dangers of certain man-made chemicals, says WWF. (WWF, 19 Sep. 2002)

LA babies get lifetime's toxic air in 2 weeks - study - A two-week-old baby in the Los Angeles area has already been exposed to more toxic air pollution than the U.S. government deems acceptable as a cancer risk over a lifetime, according to a report yesterday by an environmental campaign group...It said diesel exhaust - from trucks and cars, school buses, and farm and construction equipment - was still the worst source of air pollution. But it also took into account chemicals emitted by dry cleaners and factories as well as pesticides, adhesives and lubricant oils. (Reuters, 17 Sep. 2002)

Lead paint poses new legal threat for US companies -...Rhode Island, which has one of the highest rates of child lead poisoning in the nation, is suing some of the biggest names in U.S. manufacturing, including DuPont Co., the nation's No. 1 chemical company, and Sherwin-Williams Co., the No. 1 paint maker. Other defendants include Atlantic Richfield, which was acquired by BP Plc, Cytec Industries, NL Industries Inc. and a unit of ConAgra Foods. (David Howard Sinkman, Reuters, 12 Sep. 2002)

Bayer Found Responsible for Poisoning of Children in Peru - After a nine-month investigation, a Peruvian Congressional Subcommittee has found significant evidence of criminal responsibility by both the agrochemical company Bayer and the Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture in the poisoning of 42 children in the remote Andean village of Tauccamarca in October 1999. The children were stricken after eating a school breakfast contaminated with the organophosphate pesticide methyl parathion. (Pesticide Action Network, 30 Aug. 2002)

Government Asked to Act on Teenagers' Job Safety [USA] - With nearly four million teenagers at work across the nation this summer, many health safety experts say it is time for the government to revise its 60-year-old list of jobs barred to young people because they are too dangerous...some pediatricians and children's advocates want the Bush administration to declare other work off limits, including construction and window washing. (Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2002)

UNICEF: Coalition Calls On U.N. Agency To Cut Ties With McDonald's - An international coalition of academics and health officials called Wednesday for UNICEF to end its partnership with McDonald's, accusing the corporation of undermining U.N. efforts to promote healthy diets (UN Wire, 2 Aug. 2002)

Household chemicals warning - Many chemicals found routinely in products around the home could be damaging our health...Artificial musks - used as fragrances in perfumes, cosmetics and household goods....Phthalates - plastic softeners used in many PVC products, such as children's toys, and in some cosmetics...Bisphenol A - a component of resins used to line food cans...Organotins - heat stabilisers used in approximately 8% of PVC products in Europe. Traces have also been found in some brands of disposable nappies...The makers of Glade air fresheners, and Dove and Physiosport shower gels contained artificial musks...Avon, Olay and Max Factor nail varnishes contained phthalates, while several other manufacturers said they were in the process of "phasing them out", including Boots, L'Oreal, Lancome and Maybelline...Heinz, John West and Princes use Bisphenol A to make food and drink cans, and it is an ingredient of most baby feeding bottles in the UK, including those made by Boots, Mothercare, Tommee Tippee and Avent. (BBC News, 1 Aug. 2002)

Bahrain human rights centre gets go-ahead - The establishment of the region's first human rights centre in Bahrain has been given the official go-ahead...."We hope to carry out our activities on a Gulf-wide basis,"...Children's rights and women's rights issues will be among the priorities of the centre (Indira Chand, Gulf Daily News [Bahrain], 30 July 2002)

Ethical shift needed if women are to be treated equally: lawyer [Australia] - Equal opportunity laws are failing and outdated, and a philosophical shift to a new kind of EO - ethical organisations - is needed, the feminist lawyer Moira Rayner said yesterday...An ethical organisation would respect the rights of children by providing maternity and paternity leave and flexible working arrangements, she said. (Sherrill Nixon, Sydney Morning Herald, 26 July 2002)

HUMAN RIGHTS: WHO Launches Publications On Health, Rights - The first in a new series of publications on the linkages between health and human rights was posted on the Internet by the World Health Organization yesterday. The WHO said 25 Questions and Answers on Health and Human Rights is meant for "governments and others concerned in developing a human rights approach to public health work." (UN Wire, 25 July 2002)

UNICEF: Amusement Parks To Help Raise Vaccine Funds - UNICEF and one of the world's largest amusement park groups launched a joint project yesterday to raise money for children's immunization drives. (UN Wire, 25 July 2002)

UNICEF, McDonald's and Ronald McDonald House Charities team up to raise funds for children (UNICEF, 19 July 2002)

New Standard for Corporate Social Responsibility of Drugs Companies - Oxfam, Save the Children and VSO have developed an industry standard for assessing the corporate social responsibility of drugs companies in responding to the health crisis in the developing world. - In a new report, Beyond Philanthropy, published today, the three development agencies propose a set of benchmarks to assist investors in assessing the social responsibility of pharmaceutical companies. These benchmarks relate to company policies and practices in five key areas which impact on access to medicines for the 14 million children and adults who die each year from infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. The key areas are: pricing, patents, joint public private initiatives, research and development and appropriate use of medicines. (Oxfam, Save the Children and VSO, 16 July 2002)

MEXICO: Government, UNICEF To Assist Children Of Agricultural Laborers - UNICEF and Mexican officials yesterday announced the launch of a program to improve living conditions for children of agricultural laborers in the country, providing them with the means to exercise their "fundamental rights" (UN Wire, 10 July 2002)

Credit Suisse Financial Services gives children a ticket to life -...The Ticket to Life campaign [joint Credit Suisse Financial Services / UNICEF Switzerland campaign] seeks to ensure children everywhere have official papers, like birth certificates, obliging governments to take responsibility for their welfare. (International Chamber of Commerce, 9 July 2002)

Failure in pollution fight in Calcutta - The authorities in Indian state of West Bengal have been criticised by a federal auditing body for failing to fight pollution in Calcutta...World Health Organisation figures show more than eleven-thousand people die each year in Calcutta because of pollution, and more than half of the city's children have excessive amounts of lead in their blood. (BBC News, 5 July 2002)

CHILD LABOR: ILO To Fund Paraguayan-Brazilian Border Initiative - The International Labor Organization is planning to invest $2 million over a three-year period in the Paraguayan-Brazilian border region to help combat the sexual and commercial exploitation of children, O Estado de Sao Paulo reports. (UN Wire, 3 July 2002)

Smoke could ruin child's fertility - Smoking while pregnant appears to put the future fertility of any female children at risk. (BBC News, 3 July 2002)

Mobile fears of world health leader - Parents have been warned against letting their children spend too much time on their mobile phones by the head of the World Health Organization (WHO). (BBC News, 2 July 2002)

Pesticides banned in baby food - But still in fruit and veg -...Friends of the Earth is calling on retailers to phase-out the use of pesticides that are causing most concern and aim for residue-free food - starting with foods most popular with infants and young children. (Friends of the Earth, 1 July 2002)

Corporate Codes of Conduct: Regulation, Self-Regulation and the Lessons from the Baby Food Case - An Interview with Judith Richter [consumer and public health activist] [refers to Nestle] (Multinational Monitor, July-Aug. 2002)

EPA says 28 pct of US lakes have contaminated fish - More than one-fourth of the nation's lakes have advisories warning consumers that fresh-caught fish may be contaminated with mercury, dioxins or other chemicals, the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday...Eating fish that contain high concentrations of mercury, dioxins, PCBs and other industrial chemicals can be especially harmful to pregnant women and children, according to the EPA. (Reuters, 26 June 2002) 

Corporate secrecy oils the wheels of poverty - While oil, gas and minerals are by far the largest sources of state revenue for the world's poorest nations, these resources, which should help fund development and sustainable economic growth, all too often turn out to be a curse, leading to increased poverty, child malnutrition and civil conflict. At the heart of this paradox is the secrecy surrounding payments by oil and mining companies to governments - a lack of transparency that provides the perfect cover for corruption and embezzlement by ruling elites. (Simon Taylor, Director of Global Witness, in International Herald Tribune, 20 June 2002)

Sellafield children have increased cancer risk [UK] - study - Children whose fathers worked at the Sellafield nuclear power plant have twice the normal risk of developing leukaemia which may be due in part to the dose of radiation the men received. (Reuters, 20 June 2002)  

"The private sector as service provider and its role in implementing child rights" - Committee on the Rights of the Child - Day of General Discussion - Friday, 20 September 2002– Palais Wilson, Geneva -...The focus of the day of discussion will be on the impact of increasing participation of private sector actors in the provision and funding of state-like functions on the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. While the Committee is entirely conscious that the business sector can impact children's rights in a wide variety of ways, it has chosen to focus on exploring the various issues emerging from privatisation and the assumption by non-governmental organizations or businesses of traditional state functions, i.e. in the health and the education sector, in the provision of institutional care, legal assistance, treatment of victims etc., given the high relevance of this trend to the work of the Committee. (United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child) [posted to this website on 12 June 2002]

Greenpeace protests against Nestle’s double standards on genetically engineered food: World's largest food producer must change ways -...Greenpeace today stepped up pressure against the world´s largest food producer Nestlé for continuing to sell genetically contaminated food, including baby food, in several Asian countries [refers to Thailand, Philippines, China/Hong Kong] (Greenpeace, 6 June 2002)

U.S. Vows to End Human Trafficking - The government is committed to ending worldwide trafficking in humans, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday..."Approximately 50,000 people are trafficked into the United States every year," Powell said. "Here and abroad, the victims of trafficking toil under inhuman conditions in brothels, sweatshops, fields and even in private homes." Most of the victims are women and children, he said. (Harry Dunphy, Associated Press, in Washington Post, 5 June 2002)

VACCINES: UNICEF Chief Warns Of Global Shortage -...The Globe and Mail reports the root of the problem is an ongoing pharmaceutical industry shakeup, with mergers leading to the cancellation of production of relatively unprofitable childhood vaccines. Another factor is that since countries commit funds to UNICEF one year at a time, the agency can sign only one-year contracts with vaccine providers. (UN Wire, 28 May 2002)

TOBACCO: WHO Seeks Tougher Asian Laws To Protect Children - Asian children are taking up smoking in ever-larger numbers, and countries in the region must implement comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising and sales in order to save lives, the World Health Organization said today (UN Wire, 28 May 2002)

CHILDREN: U.N. Says Pollution Kills Millions Yearly - More than 5,000 children die daily from diseases caused by consuming water and food contaminated with bacteria, according to a new study released by UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the U.N. Environment Program...The agencies say pollutants in the environment -- toxic chemicals, lead from gasoline, pesticides -- directly affect children (UN Wire, 10 May 2002)

CELL PHONES: Group Warns About Dangerous Waste In U.S. - U.S. environmental research group INFORM said in a new report this week that cellular telephones are being discarded in the United States by the hundreds of millions despite containing persistent toxins -- arsenic, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc -- that are associated with cancer and neurological disorders, particularly in children. (UN Wire, 10 May 2002)

Europe's sweetmakers dismiss US toxic chocolate claims - Europe's confectioners yesterday strongly rejected a U.S. lawsuit alleging top chocolate makers had failed to disclose that some products contained hazardous levels of toxic metals such as lead. (Trevor Datson, Reuters, 10 May 2002) 

Annan says public-private partnership key to securing better world for children (UN News Service, 9 May 2002)

TOBACCO: Small Amount Of Smoke Harms Children's Learning Ability: Study - Small amounts of second-hand tobacco smoke have been found to measurably damage children's ability to learn, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center researchers announced this week (UN Wire, 9 May 2002)

MICRONUTRIENTS: Public-Private Partnership Launches Major Initiative - Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy along with several top-ranking public and private leaders [including Procter & Gamble Chairman John Pepper] joined together this morning to announce the launch of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, a partnership to fight micronutrient deficiency in the developing world. (Michael Kitchen, UN Wire, 9 May 2002) 

Chocolate makers sued for lead content of products [USA] - An environmental group yesterday sued chocolate companies including Hershey and Mars for not disclosing the amount of toxic metals such as lead that are in their products, as required under California law...the American Environmental Safety Institute said research shows that dangerous levels of lead and cadmium in chocolate pose a serious health risk, especially to children...The environmental group cited Mars Inc., Hershey Foods Corp. , Nestle USA Inc. , Kraft Foods NorthAmerica Inc., Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. and See's Candies Inc. for violating California's Proposition 65 (Reuters, 9 May 2002)

TOBACCO: Hong Kong Launches Anti-Smoking Campaign -...Efforts to curb smoking are also taking place in mainland China despite the failure of efforts by attorney Tong Lihua to sue the government's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration and 24 firms under its jurisdiction for failing to carry health warnings on their Web sites...he is not currently considering filing suits against U.S. firms because a lack of punitive damage provisions in Chinese law would make such cases of little value. (UN Wire, 5 May 2002)

ALBANIA: Homeless Children Work As Couriers Under UNICEF Program -..."The idea was how to use the marketplace, how to get businessmen and businesspeople involved in generating new resources and new thinking and new opportunities for these kids" (UN Wire, 18 Apr. 2002)

Weedkiller makes male frogs into females - study: The most popular weedkiller in the United States [atrazine] can give male frogs female sex organs and other attributes, researchers said this week -...the study had implications for humans, especially children who have not reached puberty (Maggie Fox, Reuters, 17 Apr. 2002) 

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Agencies Warn Of Risk To Children - A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Environment Agency says that up to 40 percent of global disease cases caused by environmental hazards are estimated to impact children under the age of 5 [refers to risks including synthetic chemicals, polluted indoor & outdoor air, road traffic, contaminated food & water, contaminants in toys, environmental tobacco smoke] (UN Wire, 16 Apr. 2002)

INDIA: Children Drawn To Harmful TV Dramas, U.N.-Backed Study Says [study found that parents often consider family dramas safe for children but cautioned that the shows are often violent and can harm children's psychological health] (UN Wire, 16 Apr. 2002)

Olympic agrees to $75 mln pipeline blast settlement [USA]: Olympic Pipe Line Co. and other companies have agreed to pay $75 million to the families of two 10-year-old boys who were killed in a Washington state pipeline blast, a settlement the parents hailed as a strong signal to the oil industry that safety must come first (Scott Hillis, Reuters, 11 Apr. 2002)

FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] warns sellers of nicotine lollipops & lip balm that their products are illegal: Today FDA issued warning letters to three pharmacies that are selling "nicotine lollipops" and/or nicotine "lip balm" over the Internet...FDA is concerned about the health risk of these products because they appear to be compounded and dispensed without a doctor's prescription, contain a form of nicotine that is not used in FDA-approved smoking cessation products, and because these candy-like products present a risk of accidental use by children. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10 Apr. 2002)

Parents of autistic kids sue drug firms, dental groups [USA]: The parents of a group of children with autism this week sued several drug companies and dental associations in the United States for allegedly exposing their kids to the neurological disorder in vaccines and dental fillings containing mercury. The American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Association and drug firms American Home Products Corp., now known as Wyeth, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Johnson & Johnson and Armour Pharmaceutical were accused of, among other things, negligence in 11 lawsuits filed in an Atlanta court. (Paul Simao, Reuters, 5 Apr. 2002)

Study Says School Buses are Health Hazards - Those yellow school buses that transport millions of children to school every day are health hazards, according to a study that targets diesel exhaust as a potential cause of widespread respiratory illness in children. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, 3 Apr. 2002)

Nations Press Ahead to End Child Exploitation: African ministers from French-speaking countries [Mali, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo (Republic of), Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia] vowed on Friday, at the end a two-day conference on child exploitation, to enact laws and strengthen subregional and international cooperation to protect child rights...The conference heard that child exploitation included trafficking for sex and labour, violence and other mistreatment, enrolment in armed conflict, as well as forcing school-age children to work. (U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 2 Apr. 2002)

Document to stop child slavery: Six West African countries [Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, Ivory Coast, Mali] have developed a travel document aimed at combating the exploitation of more than 200 000 children in the region. (South African Press Association, 2 Apr. 2002)

THAILAND: Sex Trafficking Occurs Via Informal Networks, ILO, UNDP Say - Sex trafficking of children in Thailand is largely an industry run by small, informal networks and is also linked to poverty and education issues (UN Wire, 26 Mar. 2002)

MEXICO-U.S.: U.N. Expert Wraps Up Mission On Migrants' Rights -...Besides risks the migrants and smugglers take which threaten the migrants' safety, they are also at risk of being subjected to forced labor, and children in particular are at risk of being sold into prostitution or forced into pornography, Rodriguez said. (Angela Stephens, UN Wire, 19 Mar. 2002)

Train derails in Georgia, releasing toxic chemical [USA]: A CSX Corp . freight train derailed on the weekend near an Atlanta water reservoir, and at least one of its cars was leaking a hazardous chemical...Atlanta police and fire department officials evacuated residents and businesses within a half-mile of the area...at least four people, one adult and three children, were taken to a hospital to be treated for possible chemical exposure (Reuters, 18 Mar. 2002)

UK group urges retailers to reduce pesticide levels: Exposing young children to pesticides in fruit, vegetables and popular nibbles like crisps may cause them serious health problems in later life, a report [by Friends of the Earth] urging retailers to eliminate such residues said this week..."Retailers should come clean with their customers by publishing the results of their residue testing - so far only the Co-op and M&S have been honest enough to do this," she [Sandra Bell, Friends of the Earth] said. (Veronica Brown, Reuters, 15 Mar. 2002)

China's poor pick profits from toxic tech trash:...Electronic waste can contain 1,000 different substances including lead, cadmium, chromium and mercury - heavy metals which are highly toxic...This brew of toxic substances can damage nervous, kidney and reproductive systems, while some of the metals contain carcinogens...Despite the Basel Convention, which in 1994 banned the export of hazardous waste from rich to poor countries, electronic waste from the United States and to a lesser extent Europe, South Korea and Japan has ended up on Chinese shores, environmentalists say. (Reuters, 15 Mar. 2002)

Latest pesticide results bad news for children: The latest pesticide residue results released today by the [UK] Pesticides Residues Committee show that processed food popular with children such as cereal bars often come with hidden pesticide residues. The Government wants children to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables but today's results also revealed worrying levels of pesticides in fresh fruit. Friends of the Earth released a new report today highlighting the health concerns for babies and children exposed to pesticide residues. (Friends of the Earth, 14 Mar. 2002)

CHILD MORTALITY: Remove Lead From Gasoline, Conference Delegates Say - The First International Conference on Environmental Risks to Children's Health ended today in Bangkok with more than 300 participants calling on Asian governments to remove lead from gasoline and reduce tobacco smoke in public areas and private homes. (UN Wire, 7 Mar. 2002)

Environmental Hazards Kill at least 3 Million Children Aged under 5 Every Year: Opening Today of Bangkok Conference Marks New Initiative to Fight Child Mortality and Morbidity linked to Unhealthy Environments -...topics such as children’s exposure to lead, mercury, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants and other chemicals will be discussed. The effects of environmental tobacco smoke, radiation, climate change, and food quality and safety on children will also be discussed. (World Health Organization, 3 Mar. 2002)

Lead levels in Herculaneum children's blood "urgent public health hazard" [USA]:...The findings are the most comprehensive yet to gauge the extent of lead exposure in the home of the 110-year-old Doe Run Co. smelter in Herculaneum, about 30 miles south of St. Louis on the Mississippi River (Joe Stange, Associated Press, 28 Feb. 2002)

HIV/AIDS: South Africa To Boost Drug Research, Not Offer Universal Access - South Africa said today it will expand research on use of Nevirapine to curb mother-to-child HIV transmission instead of providing immediate universal access to the drug as activists and some opposition figures have asked. Boehringer-Ingelheim, the manufacturer, has offered South Africa free Nevirapine for the next five years. (UN Wire, 22 Feb. 2002)

INDIA: Environmentalists, Residents Call For Ban On Pesticide Endosulfan - Environmentalists say a pesticide used by a major cashew nut plantation in southern India is responsible for the acute mental and physical ailments suffered by hundreds of children and adults in the region (UN Wire, 13 Feb. 2002)

Regional Efforts Against Child Trafficking:...West and Central African countries have woken up to another challenge: child trafficking and exploitation (U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 21 Jan. 2002) (U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 21 Jan. 2002)

'Conflict of Interest' Charge for Gates-Backed Health Fund: Directors of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) will be told by the authors of a new health report that they are in danger of putting the sale of costly new vaccines ahead of their aim of halting millions of preventable child deaths..."we must ensure that this initiative does not become a marketing vehicle for the pharmaceutical companies by increasing demand for expensive new vaccines," she [Annie Heaton, private-sector research analyst at Save the Children] said. (Daniel Nelson, OneWorld UK, 18 Jan. 2002) 

U.S. Research Links Birth Defects To Ozone, Carbon Monoxide - Women living in areas with high levels of pollutants may be up to three times more likely to give birth to a baby with heart defects (UN Wire, 3 Jan. 2002)

Pollution linked with birth defects in U.S. study: Women exposed to air pollution during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to children with heart defects, researchers reported on Saturday. (Maggie Fox, Reuters, 1 Jan. 2002)

2001:

Governments urged to extend laws against child abuse by tourists: The World Tourism Organization (WTO) and IATA have urged more governments to introduce and widen legislation against tourists accused of sexually abusing children. (World Tourism Organization, 21 Dec. 2001)

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: Conference Ends With New Global Commitment - The Second World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children ended here today, issuing a document that expanded the meeting's purview to protecting children from all forms of sexual exploitation. (UN Wire, 20 Dec. 2001)

Manchester Man Admits Guilty in Lead Poisoning Case [USA]; Plea to Forging Lead Hazard Disclosure Documents is Precedent Setting: A Manchester, N.H. [New Hampshire] man and his company [JTA Real Estate Brokerage and Property Management] pleaded guilty in federal court today in connection with a lead poisoning case involving the death of a two-year-old girl...The case...is the first case in the nation in which a corporation has been criminally prosecuted for failing to provide federal LBP [lead-based paint] disclosure information to residential tenants. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 19 Dec. 2001)

VW [Volkswagen] workers help Puebla [Mexico] street children:...The donations are used to support street children projects, primarily in regions with VW sites, and the organisation "Terre des Hommes" advises on, looks after and carries out the projects, which run over a relatively long time span and require more than just one-time support. (International Metalworkers' Federation, 19 Dec. 2001)

An important partner: the private sector - What does the private sector have to do with commercial sexual exploitation of children? Whether by commission or omission, the private sector is involved in the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Three sub-sectors within the realm of private enterprise have traditionally featured in the discussion on CSEC: the travel and tourism industries; the media industries; and those related to new technologies. (background paper for 2nd World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children - Yokohama, Japan, 17-20 December 2001)

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: UNICEF Head Calls Practice "Terrorism" [opening session of Second World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children]:...Queen Silvia of Sweden...highlighted...increased efforts by the private sector, including travel, tourism and information companies. She cited efforts by some airlines that run movies on flights to alert passengers to the problem and some tour companies that have instituted codes of conduct. (UN Wire, 17 Dec. 2001) 

Yokohama: unions battle against sexual exploitation of children (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 12 Dec. 2001)

Sexual exploitation of children: trade unions take action (Samuel Grumiau, Trade Union World, 11 Dec. 2001)

Children in sex trade, U.N. group reports:...An estimated one-third of the sex workers in Southeast Asia are children (Associated Press, in Philadelphia Inquirer, 9 Dec. 2001)

NICARAGUA: Pornography, Sex Tourism Harm Country's Youth, NGOs Say - Child rights activists in Nicaragua have said the country's children are increasingly becoming victims of Internet-based child pornography, sex tourism along the country's borders and prostitution in the country's ports...Save the Children Alliance representative Coleen Littlejohn said the tourism industry can take measures to combat sex tourism, including publicizing the problem to hotel and bar workers. (UN Wire, 7 Dec. 2001)

Britain Urged to Act Against Sex-Slavery: Legislation is urgently needed to help fight the growth in the sexual trafficking of women and children into Europe, the British government was told Monday. (Daniel Nelson, OneWorld UK, 4 Dec. 2001)

Reebok Announces 2002 Human Rights Award Recipients: Four Women to be Honored - The 2002 winners include the founder of the first independent labor union in Indonesia; an advocate for abused children in Zambia; a rescuer of young girls enslaved as prostitutes in India; and an activist at the forefront of a new generation of civil rights leadership in the United States. (Reebok, 3 Dec. 2001)

Mexico City's foul air damages young lungs - study (Reuters, 30 Nov. 2001) 

HIV/AIDS: South African Activists Take Government To Court On Drug Access [concerning policy on availability of the drug nevirapine, which helps prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child] (UN Wire, 26 Nov. 2001)

Bredell Consensus Statement on the Imperative to Expand Access to Anti-Retroviral (ART) Medicines for Adults and Children with HIV/AIDS in South Africa (Treatment Action Campaign, 19 Nov. 2001)

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: U.N. Cites Lack Of Political Will In South Asia - The United Nations and experts today told a three-day Dhaka meeting that a lack of political will among South Asian governments is to blame for the continuing commercial sexual exploitation of children, Agence France-Presse reports. (UN Wire, 7 Nov. 2001)

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: Arab, African Countries Look To Protect Children - Two hundred fifty delegates from 40 Arab and African countries on Friday called on governments to ratify and implement relevant U.N. conventions and take various other measures against child sexual exploitation. At the end of a three-day meeting in Rabat, Morocco, participants issued a declaration asking countries to create national anti-sexual exploitation programs and monitoring systems, improve policing of sexual tourism and pornography...They also called on countries to intensify their partnerships with the United Nations and other international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, national legislatures and the private sector. (UN Wire, 30 Oct. 2001)

Sexual Exploitation: Asia-Pacific Leaders Approve Prevention Plan - Asian governments have for the first time committed to specific deadlines to prevent child sexual exploitation and assist survivors. More than 200 government leaders and representatives yesterday approved a plan to put in place legal and social frameworks to protect children from such exploitation. (UN Wire, 19 Oct. 2001)

INDONESIA: Government Sets Up Team To Fight Human Trafficking - Indonesia decided Wednesday to set up an interdepartmental team to handle several campaigns aimed at halting flourishing human trafficking networks, which commonly target women and children for the sex trade. The move comes in the wake of a U.N. evaluation that ranked Indonesia as one of the worst countries at handling human trafficking. (UN Wire, 19 Oct. 2001)

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: Asian Delegates Prepare For Japan Conference - ...According to U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su, there are currently 1 million children in the commercial sex industry in the region, and their numbers are growing. "Human trafficking, including the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, is organized crime's fastest-growing industry," he said (UN Wire, 16 Oct. 2001)

New Oxfam America Report Reveals Poverty, Health Problems Worse in Developing Countries Dependent on Oil And Mining: Findings released as World Bank launches major review of extractive resource projects - Developing countries that rely heavily on oil or mineral exports suffer higher rates of poverty and child mortality, and spend more on their militaries than similar countries with more diverse economies, according to a study released today by Oxfam America. (Oxfam America, 10 Oct. 2001)

Greenpeace urges Novartis to recall baby products: Environmental group Greenpeace last week urged Swiss healthcare group Novartis AG to withdraw baby food being sold in the Philippines which contained genetically modified soy. (Reuters, 8 Oct. 2001)

Sixth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) (5-10 Oct. 2001, Melbourne, Australia):

Novartis finds GMO soy in Philippines baby food: Swiss healthcare group Novartis AG confirmed yesterday allegations from environmental group Greenpeace that some samples of baby food it sold in the Philippines contained genetically modified soy. Novartis stressed the products were safe but added that it was seeking a new supplier. (Reuters, 5 Oct. 2001)

US panel backs caution on vaccines with mercury: There is no proof that a mercury-containing preservative present in some vaccines causes developmental disorders in children, but doctors should steer clear of giving children vaccines made with the substance just to be safe, a panel of experts said in a report yesterday. (Will Dunham, Reuters, 2 Oct. 2001)

Vast Global Toll Forecast From the Sept. 11 Attacks: Shock Reverberates in Developing World - As many as 40,000 children under the age of 5 will die and some 10 million more people will be condemned to poverty because of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, the president of the World Bank said Sunday. (Alan Friedman, International Herald Tribune, 1 Oct. 2001)

Poverty To Rise in Wake Of Terrorist Attacks in US: Millions more people condemned to poverty in 2002 - The September 11 terrorist attacks in the US will hurt economic growth in developing countries worldwide in 2001 and 2002, condemning as many as 10 million more people to live in poverty next year, and hampering the fight against childhood diseases and malnutrition, the World Bank says in a preliminary economic assessment released today. (World Bank, 1 Oct. 2001)

Eight California stores fined for selling illegal insecticides to customers: Eight Southern California stores selling illegal insecticides that looked like candy and blackboard chalk were fined by the [U.S.] Environmental Protection Agency...The illegal mothballs found at stores in California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam contained carcinogens and insecticidal chalks that had two toxins known to poison children. (Associated Press, in San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Sep. 2001)

Doctors want problem kids blood checked for lead: British doctors called on Monday for routine blood screening of children with behavioural and learning problems, saying high levels of lead could be the cause...Lead is a neurotoxin that has been blamed for a variety of learning problems in children. They can ingest up to three times as much of the mineral as adults by chewing on objects and toys. (Reuters, 24 Sep. 2001)

China children sue factory over chemical leak: More than 400 elementary school children rushed to hospital after a chemical leak in April are suing a plastics factory in southeastern China, state media reported yesterday (Reuters, 21 Sep. 2001)

LEAD: One In Five Beijing Children Exhibits Excessive Levels -- Study: One in five children in Beijing has unsafe blood lead levels, a Chinese national study says, adding that the problem could affect growth and intellectual development...Professor Gao Junquan, director of the survey, said children can absorb lead through outdoor pollutants, food and even toys. (UN Wire, 19 Sep. 2001)

In Brazil, Hope Begins With Children: Best Practice / ABB [global technology company] - ABB’s many social action programs — ranging from education to sanitation and the environment — have expanded by more than 300 percent in the past three years. One example is Criança Futuro-Esperança (Children with a Future Full of Hope), a program that supplements the regular school classes of 96 children from slum areas. (sponsored section, International Herald Tribune and World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 13 Sep. 2001)

Study Reveals Link Between Asthma and Childhood Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Childhood exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is associated with an increased prevalence of asthma among adult non-smokers. According to a Swedish study published in the September issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), ETS also increases the chance that exposed children will smoke in adulthood. (PRNewswire, American College of Chest Physicians, 11 Sep. 2001)

Last chance for children: For the millions living in extreme poverty, missing out on schooling, affected by HIV or caught up in war, this is the last chance to put things right, warns Save the Children in a major global report - Children's Rights: A Second Chance - launched today. ...Save the Children is calling for a radical shift in approach which recognises that the international community, governments and big business must work much more closely together to achieve a real and positive change in children's lives. (Save the Children, 5 Sep. 2001) 

Pfizer suit adds to pressure on industry: The lawsuit, filed on behalf of 30 Nigerian families, alleges Pfizer violated their human rights when it set up a clinic to give Trovan, an experimental antibiotic, to 200 children during a meningitis epidemic that swept the north of the country in 1996. Lawsuits have already been filed in Nigeria, but last week, in a sign the company may face far greater damages, the first suit was filed in the US. The families say Pfizer did not obtain "informed consent" before administering the treatment. (Adrian Michaels and David Firn, Financial Times, 2 Sep. 2001) 

Clarke tobacco firm 'targeted children': Kenneth Clarke is facing a World Health Organisation investigation into whether British American Tobacco, of which he is deputy chairman, put sugar and honey into cigarettes to attract under-age smokers. (Chris Ayres, Times [London], 28 Aug. 2001)

Tobacco Lures World's Teens - Free Cigarettes Find Their Way to Underage Smokers: Just as it is in the United States, giving cigarettes to teenagers is illegal in many countries, including Albania. But while the practice has all but disappeared in America, it goes on in many developing nations, and Philip Morris is not the only tobacco company that the World Health Organization has accused of enticing teenagers with free cigarettes. (Greg Winter, New York Times Service, in International Herald Tribune, 25 Aug. 2001)  

Plea for small arms curbs: A United Nations conference has heard an impassioned plea for weapons-producing countries to prevent light weapons falling into the hands of children. General Romeo Dallaire General Romeo Dallaire - Canada's representative at the conference on the small arms trade - said that child soldiers were becoming the dominant factors in wars in the developing world. (BBC News, 12 July 2001)

Thai Government, Airline Urged To Fight Sex Tourism (UN Wire, 3 July 2001)

Where's the money? G8 promises, G8 failures: The richest countries of the world promised to help developing countries halve poverty, reduce child mortality by two thirds, and ensure every child gets a free and good quality primary education. All by 2015. There remains a huge gap between promises and action. (Oxfam International Briefing Paper, July 2001)

Chemicals to be evaluated for risks to children: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman announced today that 36 chemical manufacturers have committed to providing information critical to evaluating the potential health risks to children from 20 commonly used commercial chemicals. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 29 June 2001)

No Quick Fix: a sustained response to HIV/AIDS and children (Save the Children UK, 25 June 2001)

Aids plays havoc with Africa's children: The UN chief has challenged world leaders to act on youth poverty (Victoria Brittain, Guardian [UK], 6 June 2001)

CHILDREN: Annan [UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan] Cites Problems In 10 Years Since World Summit (UN Wire, 6 June 2001)

How Nestlé uses the 'breast is best' notice to endorse its breastmilk substitutes [alleged violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes] (Campaign for Ethical Marketing, Baby Milk Action, June/July 2001)

Wyeth - Breaking the Rules 2001 [alleged violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes] (Campaign for Ethical Marketing, Baby Milk Action, June/July 2001)

ILO report: Stopping Forced Labour (International Labour Organization, June 2001):

Science defeats baby food industry vested interests at the World Health Assembly: A landmark Resolution recommending that infants be exclusively breastfed for 6 months was passed at the 54th World Health Assembly (WHA) today (IBFAN [International Baby Food Action Network], 18 May 2001)

Multinational baby food companies Nestlé, Milupa, Abbott-Ross, Mead-Johnson and Wyeth are the worst violators of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, says IBFAN (IBFAN [International Baby Food Action Network], 15 May 2001)

'Putting profit before child health': Pressure has been stepped up on firms to stop promoting powdered baby milk to new mums (BBC News, 15 May 2001)

POVERTY: UNICEF Calls For Urgent Attention To Children (UN Wire, 15 May 2001)

CHINA: UNICEF Representative Lauds Child Rights Progress (UN Wire, 2 May 2001)

Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2001: Evidence of Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent Resolutions [refers to the following baby food companies: Abbott-Ross, Danone, Dumex (INC), Friesland, Gerber, Heinz, Hipp, Humana, Mead Johnson, Meiji, Milupa, Morinaga, Nestlé, Nutricia/Cow & Gate/Lyempf, Snow Brand, Wyeth; also refers to the following bottle and teat companies: Avent, Babelito, Camera, Chicco, Curity, Evenflo, Gerber/NUK, Japlo, Johnson & Johnson/MAM, Mister Baby, Pigeon, Playtex, Remond] (IBFAN [International Baby Food Action Network], May 2001)

Poverty and Children: Lessons of the 90's for Least Developed Counties (UNICEF, May 2001)

Tests Reveal High Levels Of Toxics Inside Diesel School Buses: New Report Finds Children's Exposure Dozens Of Times Higher Than EPA Acceptable Cancer Risk Level (Natural Resources Defense Council and Coalition for Clean Air, 12 Feb. 2001) 

Children's Rights (Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Watch World Report 2001, 2001)

2000:

Milking Profits in Pakistan (Muddassir Rizvi, Multinational Monitor, Sep. 2000)

1999:

Nestlés new "monitoring" strategy - does it make any difference to infant health? (Baby Milk Action, Oct. 1999)

1998:

Children Confronting HIV/AIDS: Charting the Confluence of Rights and Health [abstract] (Daniel Tarantola and Sofia Gruskin, Health and Human Rights, vol. 3, no. 1, 1998) {···english···español···français}