About the Knowledge Hub

The WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3 supports countries in protecting public health policies from the interference of the tobacco industry. It provides technical assistance, training, and knowledge-sharing to help Parties implement their obligations under Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

The WHO FCTC

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first international health treaty, where 182 countries, covering more than 90 percent of the world population, are Parties to the Convention. The WHO FCTC entered into force in 2005, and Thailand ratified the Convention in 2004.

The WHO FCTC became a critical instrument for countries to respond to the devastating health impact of tobacco use, which is responsible for over 8 million deaths annually. Since its commencement, the Conference of the Parties (COP) has been the platform for Parties to elaborate the various provisions prescribed in the WHO FCTC in order to strengthen its obligations under the Convention.

Knowledge Hubs

In order to assist Parties in implementing the WHO FCTC, the Convention Secretariat establishes Knowledge Hubs (KH) to be the knowledge base and provide technical assistance upon request by Parties. Presently, there are nine Knowledge Hubs across the globe, where each KH focuses on a particular article of the Convention.

WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3

In 2017, the Convention Secretariat appointed the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) as the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3. This Knowledge Hub, established in partnership with the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University and the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance, is hosted at the School of Global Studies, Thammasat University, in Thailand. Its primary mission revolves around curbing tobacco industry interference in the implementation of the Convention. Since 2017 until December 2022, the work of the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3 at the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) has spanned the globe by providing technical assistance, producing policy briefs and other critical publications, developing toolkits, and serving as a clearinghouse for information on tobacco industry tactics used to influence public health policies.

A New Phase and Partnership

Since 2023, the Convention Secretariat has been embarking on the new phase of the Knowledge Hubs, which includes the Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3. We are thrilled to announce a new partnership between Thammasat University and Mahidol University in launching the next phase of the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3. The Knowledge Hub will continue to be hosted physically at Thammasat University's School of Global Studies. Our top priority remains assisting Parties in implementing Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, promoting good governance and policy coherence in tobacco control, and preventing tobacco industry interference in public health policies.

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WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3 is a combination of the academic discipline, diversity, and global reach of the School of Global Studies, Thammasat University and Mahidol University in countering tobacco industry interference to move tobacco control measures forward at the country, regional, and global levels.

With the support of the Ministry of Public Health Thailand, we were designated by the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC to serve as the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3 to support implementation of the Convention’s obligation on protecting against tobacco industry interference.

Mandate and Key Functions

The COP7 requested the Convention Secretariat to establish a Knowledge Hub for Article 5.3 that coordinates the work of experts to develop international cooperation, including cooperation with other Knowledge Hubs, as appropriate, and with the Observatories. It is responsive to regional economic groupings in the development of innovative ways to engage non-health sectors nationally, regionally, and globally. It assists Parties upon request in developing strategies to counter tobacco industry interference in bilateral, regional, and global relations to promote global awareness of Article 5.3. It supports Parties in developing strategies to counter the tobacco industry’s misleading information related to the WHO FCTC and tobacco control. It promotes mechanisms, including technical assistance and tools, to assist country-level implementation of Article 5.3.

Our Ongoing Commitment

WHO FCTC KH for Article 5.3 is committed to work with the Convention Secretariat, among others, to develop, analyse, synthesise and disseminate to the Parties to the Convention knowledge and information through online materials and training, including in meetings and missions.