WHO GLOBAL CONGRESS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE

WHO GLOBAL CONGRESS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE OF MARKETING OF BREASTMILK SUBSTITUTES

– 20 June 2023 –

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) hosted the first Global Congress on the implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes from June 20 to 22, 2023, in Geneva, Switzerland. During the event, delegates from approximately 130 countries discussed and shared knowledge and strategies to put an end to the unethical marketing of breast-milk substitutes.

This Congress was a first for WHO since the Code’s adoption in 1981. For three days, over 400 delegates from 130 countries, worked in Plenary and in regional groups, focusing on how to bring in strong legislation and Conflict of Interest safeguards that could help end predatory marketing.

Members of the IBFAN network, coming from various countries, were present at the Global Congress on the Implementation of the International Code.

In an important acknowledgment of the role that citizens’ actions and campaigns such as the Nestlé Boycott played in the adoption of the Code and the 20 subsequent WHA Resolutions, the 8-minute IBFAN film, made for the 40th Anniversary of the Code, was screened along with the Nestlé whistleblower movie Tigers.

Much to the annoyance of ISDI (the International Special Dietary Foods Industries) commercial companies were excluded. However, some choice sections of ISDI’s Statement calling for a ‘multi-stakeholder approach’ were read out: “…To examine the effectiveness of the implementation of the WHO Code, a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach is required to create an all-inclusive, supportive ecosystem to encourage breastfeeding and to improve nutritional outcomes for mothers, infants and young children…”

A host of new and important briefings and tools are now available – HERE and HERE.

IBFAN MOMENTS AT THE GLOBAL CONGRESS