CAPHRA Demands COP11 Seats
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates is calling on the World Health Organisation to allow consumer advocates to attend COP11
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by Dave Cross
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The Coalition of Asia Pacific Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) is calling on the World Health Organisation (WHO) to open the upcoming Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Conference of the Parties (COP11) to consumer advocacy groups, in line with human rights principles and evidence-based policymaking.
"The WHO FCTC process must adopt a human rights approach that considers the implications across the entire lifecycle of tobacco products, from growing to consumption," said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA. "This requires meaningful engagement of all stakeholders, including consumers, to strengthen policy formulation and implementation.”
CAPHRA points to the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office's own report highlighting that “a key element to creating a successful tobacco control social movement is the meaningful engagement and involvement of civil society.”
The report notes civil society's crucial role in “initiating, leading and sustaining tobacco control efforts to improve public health.”
Loucas added: “Consumer groups are not constrained by bureaucracy and can hold both industry and government accountable. Our exclusion from COP11 flies in the face of the WHO's stated principles on civil society engagement.”
CAPHRA is urging the WHO FCTC Secretariat to:
- Formally invite consumer advocacy groups as observers to COP11
- Create dedicated sessions for civil society input during COP11 proceedings
- Establish an ongoing mechanism for consumer group consultation between COPs
CAPHRA says that the WHO emphasises that evidence clearly shows tobacco harm reduction strategies like vaping have helped millions quit smoking. Therefore, consumer voices are critical to ensure policies reflect real-world impacts.
Loucas concluded: “The WHO cannot claim to take a human rights approach while silencing the very people their policies affect. It's time to practice what they preach on civil society engagement and let consumers into COP11.”
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates is a regional alliance of consumer tobacco harm reduction advocacy organisations. Its mission is to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products that reduce harm from tobacco use.
CAPHRA says it remains committed to advocating for the rights of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region to access and use evidence-based, regulated, and properly marketed harm reduction products as a means of reducing the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases.
“We encourage further research, open dialogue, and collaboration with governments, health organisations, and stakeholders to ensure the best possible outcomes for public health,” it states.
References:
- The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates - https://caphraorg.net/
Photo Credit:
Photo by Roman Koester on Unsplash
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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