Framework Convention Alliance (FCA)/Action of Smoking and Health International (ASH)
Year(s) : 2008, 2007
Grant Recipient Type : NGO / Nonprofit
Grantor : Framework Convention Alliance (FCA)/Action of Smoking and Health International (ASH)
Project goal : To support a program of work on WHO issues, with key emphasis on a campaign in support of implementing the FCTC guidelines and the Illicit Trade Protocol.
Direct Grant : No
Key achievement to
date:
- ASH/FCA were able to positively influence
the WHO FCTC process during the grant period,
resulting in the adoption of effective,
evidence-based guidelines for implementation of
the following FCTC articles: Article 8
(protection from exposure to tobacco smoke),
Article 11 (labeling and packaging of tobacco
products), Article 13 (cross-border
advertising, promotion and sponsorship), and
Article 5.3 (protection of public health
policies with respect to tobacco control from
commercial and other vested interests of the
tobacco industry), as well as a decision to
develop guidelines on implementation of
Articles 12 (education, communication, training
and public awareness) and 14 (demand reduction
measures concerning tobacco dependence and
cessation) that could be adopted by the end of
2010.
- Governments also agreed in 2007 to commence negotiations towards a protocol that will address Article 15 of the FCTC (Illicit Trade of Tobacco Products) and began negotiations in 2008.
- In 2007 and 2008, 20 new countries became
parties to the FCTC, bringing the number to
162, representing 85 percent of the world's
population. In addition, 11 countries have
adopted 100 percent smoke-free laws in all
public places, and four more at the
sub-national level.
Objective 1: To engage civil
society actors in a FCTC treaty-making
process.
Major accomplishments to
date:
- FCA representatives have participated in
all six treaty negotiating sessions, as well as
the two working group sessions, dozens of
regional treaty meetings, several annual
meetings of the World Health Assembly, the two
Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group
meetings, the first, second and third
Conferences of the Parties, expert working
group meetings, protocol negotiations for the
WHO FCTC, and many national and regional
capacity building workshops to support
evidence-based tobacco control programs that
are consistent with the FCTC.
Objective 2: To positively
influence the outcome of the international
governmental FCTC negotiations.
Major
accomplishments to date:
- Ensured the presence of NGOs from
developing countries and experts at the FCTC
negotiations, Intergovernmental Working Groups,
Conferences of the Parties, and all FCTC
working groups;
- Helped to obtain the signatures of 168
countries and played a key role in getting a
substantial number to ratify in record time;
- Conducted strategic planning and advocacy
workshops in all WHO regions to support
members' ratification of the FCTC and
implementation campaigns;
- Provided financial and technical resources
to members in support of their ratification,
implementation and monitoring
campaigns;
- Created and disseminated monitoring and reporting tools that hold governments accountable to their commitments under the FCTC;
- Positively influenced the development and
adoption of guidelines for best practice,
evidence-based implementation of the Articles
of the FCTC;
- Positively influenced the development of a protocol to combat the illicit trade of tobacco products.
Objective 3: To provide technical
assistance, expertise, funding and logistical
support for all FCTC negotiating meetings and
working group meetings and to provide papers,
presentations, as well as educational and
advocacy materials, prepared and distributed by
the FCA, to participating government delegates
and NGO representatives.
Major
accomplishments to date:
- Participation in FCTC negotiation sessions
and intercessional meetings
including:
- Meeting of Ad Hoc Study Group on Alternative Crops - 27-28 February 2007, Brasilia, Brazil
- 60th World Health Assembly - 14-23 May 2007, Geneva, Switzerland
- WPRO Pre-COP Regional Meeting – 4-5 June 2007, Manila, Philippines
- PAHO Pre-COP Regional Meeting - June 2007, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- The Second Conference of the Parties (COP-2) - 30 June - 6 July 2007, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective 4: To carry out the
preparatory work for the decisions taken at
COP-2.
Major
accomplishments to date:
- Provided experts and briefing papers to the
following working group meetings:
- Article 13: Expert/key facilitator meeting (Cross-Border Advertising), 17-18 September 2007, Geneva, Switzerland
- Articles 9 and 10: Working group meeting to develop guidelines for WHO FCTC (Product Regulation and Disclosure), 26-28 September 2007, Brussels, Belgium
- Article 5.3: Expert committee meeting to discuss development of WHO policy recommendations on tobacco industry interference with tobacco control, 29-30 October 2007, Washington, D.C.
- Article 11: Working group meeting to develop guidelines (Packaging and Labeling), 7-9 November 2007, Manila, Philippines
- Article 13: Working group meeting on Cross-Border Advertising, Promotion, and Sponsorship (Article 13), 27-29 November 2007, Helsinki, Finland
- Article 5.3: Working group meeting on industry intervention (Article 5.3), 12-14 December 2007, The Hague, Netherlands
- Article 12: First working group meeting in Berlin, Germany, 21-23 February 2008
- Article 5.3: Drafting group meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, 3-4 March 2008
- Article 11: Drafting group meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, 4-5 March 2008
- Articles 9 and 10: Fifth working group meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, 5-7 March 2008
- Article 13: Second working group meeting in New Delhi, India, 31 March - 2 April 2008
Objective 5: To influence a
positive outcome for COP-3.
Major
accomplishments to date:
- On Sunday, 16 November, prior to the
official opening of COP-3, FCA organized a
half-day preparatory meeting on various issues
that were to be discussed during the COP. The
training, open only to FCA delegates, was
intended to provide background information on
issues related COP and to discuss advocacy
strategies for the week of COP-3. The meeting
included distribution and discussion of a
series of internal non-official technical
papers to inform FCA delegates on COP issues
and further support their advocacy
efforts.
Objective 6: To support the
development of an Illicit Trade Protocol that
is effective and enforceable and to support the
development of strong guidelines that will be
adopted by COP-4.
Major accomplishments to
date:
- Two FCA members were appointed to the
expert group established to prepare a template
for a protocol on illicit trade.
- The first session of the Intergovernmental
Negotiating Body established to negotiate and
draft a protocol on illicit trade was held in
Geneva on 11-15 February 2008. All of the main
elements for an effective protocol called for
by the FCA were considered by the
Parties.
- For the 2nd Intergovernmental Negotiating
Body Meeting on Illicit Trade Protocol (20-25
October 2008), FCA developed a comprehensive
illicit trade campaign plan prior to INB-2 and
contracted Andrew Kerr to draw up a political
strategy roadmap for the illicit trade
campaign. Media strategies and an advocacy
toolkit were also developed to support illicit
trade advocacy activities.
- Several workshops for government officials
on illicit trade in tobacco products were held
including:
- The Regional Conference on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, 5- 6 December 2007, Montevideo, Uruguay
- The Pre-INB 2 Illicit Trade Training, 13-14 August 2008, Damascus, Syria
- The FCA/TFI SEARO Awareness Raising Workshop on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products and Experts Briefing on Illicit Trade in Tobacco, 15-16 September 2008, New Delhi, India
Objective 7: To raise awareness
about evidence-based tobacco control practices
that are consistent with the FCTC, the FCA held
in 2007 and 2008 a number of regional and
national capacity building workshops in key
countries around the world.
Major
accomplishments to date:
- Workshop for Health Ministers, 6-9 March
2007, Lima, Peru
- Second Inter-American Workshop on Research in Tobacco Control in Colonia de Sacramento, 22-25 March 2007, Uruguay
- International NGO Forum, 30 June 2007, Bangkok, Thailand
- The Economics of Tobacco in Mexico: From Research to Advocacy Workshop, 27-28 August 2007, Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Global Campaign Capacity Building Workshop, 3-7 September 2007, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- First Regional Meeting on Tobacco Control in the Americas, 25-28 September 2007, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- National Capacity Building Workshop on FCTC Implementation and Monitor for Civil Society in Panama, 29-30 March 2007, Panama City, Panama
- West African Tobacco Control Workshop, 25-27 October 2007, Accra, Ghana
- Central American Tobacco Control Workshop for NGOs and Civil Society, 1-2 November 2007, San Jose, Costa Rica
- Central Africa Francophone Workshop on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 12-14 December 2007, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- First Capacity Building Workshop for Ministers of Health and Civil Society, 20-21 January 2008, Quito, Ecuador
- 2008 Caribbean Tobacco Control Summit, 5-6 March 2008, Puerto Rico
- Central American Legislative Workshop, 26-28 March 2008, Guatemala
- Regional Workshop on Implementation of WHO FCTC Article 13, 27-28 March 2008, Singapore
- ASEAN Regional Workshop on Implementing WHO FCTC Article 6, 1-3 April 2008, Bangkok, Thailand
- ASEAN Workshop on Article 11, 20-21 May 2008, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Regional Journalist Training on Tobacco Control, 21-22 May 2008, Cairo, Egypt
- Advocacy Activities and Tobacco Control Symposium, 28-29 May 2008, Bogota, Colombia
- Advocacy and Media Activities and Tobacco Dependence Treatment Workshops, 29-30 May 2008, Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador
- First Regional Capacity Building Workshop on Tobacco Control, 16-17 June 2008, Tunis, Tunisia
- FCA Meeting with the Ministry of Health of Tunisia
- FCA Regional Workshop on Health Communication, 22-25 July 2008, Telucigalpa, Honduras
- Costa Rica FCTC Ratification and Implementation Workshop, 31 July – 1 August 2008, Costa Rica
- FCA-African Regional Strategy Workshop for 2008, 3-6 September 2008, Abuja, Nigeria
- AFRO Pre-COP3 Advocacy Training Workshop, 13-14 November 2008, Durban, South Africa
- FCA Journalist Workshop on building strong media partnership for effective implementation of the FCTC, 16 November 2008, Durban, South Africa
Objective 8: Major FCA
campaigns
Major accomplishments to
date:
- The 2007 Commonwealth Business Forum was
held on 20 to 22 November 2007 in Kampala,
Uganda.
- Since 2007, FCA and American Cancer Society
(ACS) have hosted the Global Smokefree
Partnership, http://www.globalsmokefreepartnership.org.