Around the globe, communities are developing and implementing strategies that are impacting breastfeeding outcomes. If these efforts—and those of the international lactation advocacy community—were linked together, the result could be much more powerful than the sum of its parts. The ILCA Global Collaboration Committee was created out of the belief that collaboration is essential to achieving our goals, and that cross-cultural awareness, openness, and engagement are essential elements to those efforts.
This new Advisory Committee, created by the ILCA Board of Directors, will work toward breaking down barriers to global collaboration—including US centrism—and identify opportunities to support bridging and linking between the powerful work happening around the world.
The committee will be responsible for overseeing the execution of ILCA’s global collaboration strategies. The committee will serve as a network responsible for recommending strategies for ILCA to support regional efforts and the global lactation community. Additionally, the committee will become the focal point for overseeing and expanding the Global Partner Program, presently including 21 Global Partners.
An executive team, comprised of representatives from each of the six WHO-like regional teams, will be responsible for fostering collaboration among the global activities of each of the regional teams. This streamlined structure helps avoid siloing of global activities while expanding our capacity and capability to focus global collaboration activities. Another important advantage is the potential for expanding our sensitivity, awareness, and efforts toward geographic diversity.
Candidates from around the globe, who are alert to regional and cross-cultural differences as they occur within the global breastfeeding community, are being sought for this important effort. If you are interested in representing your region in forging a new path for global collaboration within the global lactation community, you are encouraged to visit here to review the Global Collaboration Committee Profile and to complete an ILCA Volunteer Application.
Fantastic! Thank you ILCA for developing this collaborative, international effort! ILCA will better “have the back” of members around the world (working clinically, and in advocacy). Our members will in turn support ILCA’s governance and infrastructure to be inclusive and culturally-respective. Whoo Hoo!