I got this response to a letter I wrote yesterday.  I'd love to bekieve it's true....

Chonyni Glassman, IBCLC
Dear Ms. Glassman,

Thank you for contacting us regarding the International Code of Marketing
of Breastmilk Substitutes.  We appreciate your support for UNICEF's work in
this vital area.

First and foremost, I assure you that UNICEF's commitment to the Code is as
strong as ever.  UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman has a long-standing
commitment to promoting sound nutrition for women and children.  Promotion
and protection of early and exclusive breastfeeding remain key elements of
our programmes on child survival and maternal health.  The Code is a
fundamental platform for achieving Millennium Development Goals Four and
Five.  Ms. Veneman has placed the Millennium Development Goals at the
centre of UNICEF's agenda, and they will frame UNICEF's priorities in the
coming years.

In partnership with organizations such as yours, UNICEF has been already
able to help many countries adopt the Code. Many others still have a long
way to go. Until now we have been relying on a single legal expert based at
headquarters to meet their growing needs,  but we have come to the
conclusion that more help is required than UNICEF headquarters alone can
provide. The urgent challenge we face is to build a strong legal network
for infant feeding where it will have the most impact - within countries
themselves.

With this in mind, we are decentralizing responsibility for providing legal
assistance on the Code to our country offices.  In turn, our country
offices will be strengthening ties with non-governmental organizations to
bring the right expertise under the UNICEF banner and provide better, more
rapid assistance to governments. We will be consulting with you and other
organizations working in this field to develop a roster of individuals and
organizations able to provide legal support both globally and regionally.

We sincerely believe this decision will give UNICEF and the countries it
supports the tools to mobilize for the critical years ahead. Our work in
this area continues to grow. The organization is now dedicating
significantly more attention and resources to nutrition for mothers and
children and we are broadening our action on infant and young child feeding
to include stronger and more comprehensive programmes around critical
issues such as breastfeeding in emergencies and the feeding of children
whose mothers are affected  by HIV/AIDS.  This is a positive trend and we
expect it to continue.

UNICEF deeply appreciates your continuing support.  We look forward to
working with you to meet the challenges for children in the years to come.

Regards,


Alan Court
Director
Programme Division



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