Governments must promote breastfeeding, says WHO and UNICEF

Bulletin of the World Health Organization, April, 2004

Breastfeeding is critical for child survival and governments must increase their commitment to its promotion and protection, say UNICEF and WHO in the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, launched on 23 March 2004.

"There is no better way than breastfeeding to make sure that a child gets the best start in life," said UNICEF Executive Director, Carol Bellamy. "The strategy is an invaluable roadmap for governments to create supportive environments where women can make informed choices about feeding their children."

The document, a product of over two years of global consultation, pinpoints the main problems relating to infant and young child feeding and identifies approaches for their solution.

Breastfeeding alone provides the ideal...