Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) Core Group
The IFE Core Group is an interagency collaboration on infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IFE/IYCF-E) that connects practitioner experiences with policy and guidance development.
Current members are individuals within UN agencies, NGOs, academics, independent agencies and individuals. ENN is the coordinating agency and produces IFE Core Group publications.
Since 1999, the IFE Core Group has produced a number of resources and undertaken a range of activities to support safe and appropriate IFE (see below). Members also lead on initiatives informed by and shared with the collective.
In October 2017, ENN and UNICEF co-led an IFE Core Group update of the established Operational Guidance on Infant Feeding in Emergencies (version 3.0, October 2017) funded by OFDA. The updated version incorporates the latest technical guidance, is informed by recent emergency experiences and has most extensive content on emergency preparedness and cross sectoral collaboration.
An ENN-hosted meeting in early December began the process of identification of collective plans for rollout and dissemination (report available early February 2018).
The guideline 'HIV and Infant Feeding in Emergencies: Operational Guidance' has been developed by WHO and UNICEF in collaboration with ENN, to outline the duration of breastfeeding and support from health services to improve infant feeding practices among mothers living with HIV.
IFE Core Group members
Membership comprises named individuals with responsibility for strategic oversight and operations related to infant and young child feeding in emergencies. They may be independent or associated with an agency. Current members of the IFE Core Group are:
Individual members: Karleen Gribble, Marko Kerac
IFE Core Group areas of activity
The IFE Core Group’s work involves development of policy guidance and capacity building tools, experience capture on infant and young child feeding in emergency response and promotion of policy and practice change in the context of preparedness and response.
The IFE Core Group strategic areas of activity are:
- Advocacy on infant and young child feeding in emergencies within and external to agencies, across sectors and from policy level to field practice
- Capturing experiences and extracting lessons from emergency response and reflecting these in policy guidance updates and resource development
- Supporting appropriate, consistent communication in general media and statements
- Identifying policy, guidance and research gaps and highlighting these to policy makers/researchers and relevant organisations and agencies
- ‘Stop gapping’ policy and guidance where there are outstanding and critical gaps in guidance from normative agencies
- Dissemination of key resources
- Peer to peer support for members to help put operational guidance into practice and address challenges,
- Participation in global initiatives and forums around improving emergency response, such as the Global Nutrition Cluster, The Sphere Project, en-net technical form and various trainings
The IFE Core Group does not directly implement programmes.
IFE Core Group resources and outputs
Infant and young child feeding in emergencies: Operational guidance for emergency relief staff and programme managers. Version 3.0. October 2017. 
Story of Change: ENN’s role in the development of the Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies 
Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) Making it Matter: Report of an international strategy meeting (2006) 
Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies: Making it Happen. Report of a regional workshop on IFE
Model joint statement on IFE
How to write and talk about infant and young child feeding in emergencies
Background information for communications experts on infant & young child feeding in emergencies
Talking about IYCF and child age: a briefing
Orientation Package on IFE, v2.1, 2010. English.
Complementary feeding in emergencies. A review of training resources and needs. October, 2009
Follow up report of regional workshop on IFE. 2009
Key messages on IFE - for mothers and caregivers. English and French
Protecting infants in emergencies: the role of the public. IFE Core Group.
World Breastfeeding Week, 2009. 'Breastfeeding, a vital emergency response: are you ready?'
IFE Core Group Strategy Meeting Report, November, 2010
Please see our resources section for more IFE resources.
Feedback and support
In order to develop and update the policy guidance and training materials, your feedback is vital. Any experiences of using the materials in training, gaps in the materials, or issues around infant feeding in emergences that you wish to share with us, are welcome.
IFE Core Group Funding
Each member identifies their own funds to support their individual engagement in the IFE Core Group. At a minimum, participation will require advocacy, lesson sharing and indentifying gaps.
Additional funds, either sourced through individual agencies or secured as a collective, are identified to undertake specific activities. Additional capacity to undertake activities may be available within member agencies or may need to be expanded, e.g. attaching a consultant to an agency to undertake work.
Contact the IFE Core Group
IFE Core Group
c/o Emergency Nutrition Network
32 Leopold Street
Oxford
OX4 1TW
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1865 324996/249745
Fax: +44 (0)1865 324997
Email: Marie McGrath
More like this
Operational Guidance on Infant Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) version 3.0
The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) was first produced by the Interagency Working Group on Infant and Young Child Feeding in...
Resource: Operational Guidance on Infant Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) version 3.0 (Oct 2017)
The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) was first produced by the Interagency Working Group on Infant and Young Child Feeding in...
FEX: Strategy Meeting on Infant Feeding in Emergencies
Summary of international meeting Media/communication Working Group in the foreground and Implementation/Capacity building Working Group in the background On 1st and 2nd...
FEX: Update on guidance on infant and young child feeding in emergencies underway
The Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) Core Group is an established collaborative effort that develops guidance and resource material, documents lessons...
FEX: Postscript to 'Infant feeding in the South Asia earthquake aftermath'
Maaike's observations concur with many of our experiences around infant feeding in emergencies (IFE) in previous humanitarian interventions. Failure to include breastfeeding...
Resource: Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) orientation package (2010)
IFE Module 1, v 2.1, 2010 This is a package of resources to help in orientation on infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IFE). These resources are targeted at...
FEX: New UNHCR Policy on handling Milk Products
The revised edition of the UNHCR Policy Related to the Acceptance, Distribution, and Use of Milk Products in Refugee Settings is now available. The 2006 version replaces the...
FEX: Orientation workshop on IFE
The IFE Core Group1 is planning an orientation workshop on infant and young childfeeding in emergencies (IFE) scheduled for 1- 2 November 2006 in Oxford. Organised by the ENN...
Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IYCF-E) orientation package
Donors: IASC Nutrition Cluster Collaborators: The ENN and the IFE Core Group ENN project lead:Marie McGrath Timeframe: 2001-2010 Background This is a package of resources...
FEX: IBFAN-GIFA
Name IBFAN-GIFA (International Baby Food Action Network - Geneva Infant Feeding Association) Address 11 Avenue de la Paix, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Year...
FEX: Review of Operational Guidance on IFE
In 2001, an Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies was developed by an Interagency Working Group, supported by 30 INGOs/ NGOs/UN agencies. It...
FEX: IFE training planned in London
The Centre for International Health and Development (CIHD) at the Institute of Child Health, London runs a number of courses on infant feeding that examine infant feeding...
FEX: Revised Operational Guidance on IFE
An updated version of the Operational Guidance for Emergency Relief Staff and Programme Managers on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies is now available from the ENN....
NEX: What's new at ENN?
Nutrition Exchange: Preliminary results from user survey ENN conducted an impact survey in late 2017 with the aim of understanding how our global network of practitioners and...
FEX: Updated Module on IFE available in English and French
Module 2 on Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) was first produced by the IFE Core Group1 and collaborators in December 2004 (version 1). It targets health and nutrition...
FEX: Translated Operational Guidance on IFE now available
The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies for programme and emergency relief staff (Ops Guidance) provides concise, practical...
FEX: Updated CD on IFE
A CD of Infant Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) resources developed by the IFE Core Group and related materials has just been updated by the ENN. Version 2.0 contains: Newly...
FEX: Putting IFE guidance into practice: operational challenges in Myanmar
By Victoria Sibson Victoria Sibson has been the emergency nutrition adviser for Save the Children UK since April 2007, with a focus on treatment of acute malnutrition and...
Resource: IFE Module 1 - ARCHIVE
Note: This module has now been updated to Module 1, v2.1, 2010. Module 1. Infant feeding in emergencies. For emergency relief staff. Orientation and reference. Module 1 was...
FEX: Regional workshop on IFE in Bali 2008
A three day strategy workshop/one day training on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IFE) is scheduled to be held in Bali, Indonesia on 10-13th March, 2008. This...