The Joint WHO/UNICEF Meeting on Infant and Young Child Feeding took place at WHO Geneva from9 to 12 October, 1979. It was held as part of the two organizations' on going programmes on the promotion of breastfeeding and improvement of infant and young child nutrition.
The participation included representatives of governments, the United Nations system and technical agencies, non government organizations active in the area, the infant food industry and scientists working in the field. A total of some 150 participants was present.
The meeting was conducted in plenary and five working groups. There was background document prepared by WHO and UNICEF(FHE/ICF/79.3). The themes of the working groups were:
---encouraging and supporting breastfeeding,
---promotion and support of appropriate weaning practices,
---information, education, communication and training,
---health and social status of women in relation to infant and young child feeding,
---appropriate marketing and distribution of breastfeeding substitutes.
The Statement and Recommendations contained in this document resulted from the discussions of the participants and were agreed upon by consensus.