Dr Clare Patton speaks at World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund Global Congress

During the event, delegates from around 130 countries discussed and shared knowledge and strategies to end the unethical marketing of breast-milk substitutes.

Between 20-22 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 in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The School of Law’s Dr Clare Patton spoke at the Congress on how businesses have human rights responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to follow the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes on Breast-milk Substitutes marketing (adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1981). 

Dr Patton stated that self-regulation doesn't work and States have a duty to protect citizens from human rights harms.