Marketing of breast-milk substitutes: National implementation of the International Code
Status report 2020
Highlights
Despite efforts to stop the harmful promotion of breast-milk substitutes, countries are still falling short in protecting parents from misleading information. The report, produced by WHO, UNICEF and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), provides an update on the status of implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly (WHA) resolutions (“the Code'”) in countries.
Of the 194 countries analysed, 136 have in place some form of legal measure related to "the Code". However, the legal restrictions in most counties do not fully cover marketing that occurs in health facilities. Only 79 countries prohibit the promotion of breast-milk substitutes in health facilities.
Given the important role of health workers in protecting pregnant women, mothers and their infants from inappropriate promotion of breast-milk substitutes, the 2020 report provides an extensive analysis of legal measures taken to prohibit promotion of breast-milk substitutes.
Please contact: pubdoc@unicef.org
