The WHO-FCTC Will Improve Women's Health
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) is the first Global Public Health Treaty on a specific health issue. 168 WHO Member States are signatories to the Treaty and over 130 are Parties to the Convention - The most current list of Parties.
Presently, there is a higher prevalence of smoking among women and girls in the developed world compared to the developing world. Women are at risk for becoming addicted to tobacco if tighter tobacco control laws related to industry promotion, education and policy are not implemented across the globe.
In fact, the WHO-FCTC declares that its WHO members are alarmed by the increases in smoking and other forms of tobacco consumption by women and young girls worldwide and states that there is a need for full participation of women at all levels of policy-making and implementation and for gender-specific tobacco control policies.
Article 4 of the FCTC is dedicated to women's health by proposing that measures are needed to address gender-specific risks when developing tobacco control strategies.
According to Article 10 in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), women have the right to have access to specific educational information to help to ensure the health and well-being of families. Furthermore, women have the right to the protection of health and safety in working conditions, for example smoke-free environments.
Upcoming WHO-FCTC meetings are available at the Interim Secretariat Website.
Chapter four of Turning a New Leaf: Women, Tobacco, and the Future describes some of the FCTC articles from a gender perspective.
INWAT Net Articles about the WHO-FCTC:
From Corporate Accountability International:
For
More information :
The
World Health Organization
The Framework Convention Alliance
GLOBALink
Corporate Accountability International
International Network of Women Against Tobacco (INWAT) info@inwat.org
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