Vision

A world where public policies are safeguarded from tobacco industry interference, ensuring healthier, more transparent policy environments for all nations.

Mission

To advance the implementation of article 5.3 of WHO FCTC by protecting public policies from TII through innovation, capacity building and partnership.

Strategic goal

To establish ourselves as the central service hub for technical support on implementing Article 5.3 and countering tobacco industry interference, fostering collaboration between tobacco control units, government branches, and other agencies.
 

Strategic approach

1. Technical Assistance and Knowledge Management
2. Partnership
3. Engagement with non-health sectors and IGOs
4. Maintaining our identity and values

The challenge

At the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub (KH) for Article 5.3, we want to solve the single greatest obstacle to tobacco control implementation:  Tobacco industry’s interference. With the tobacco industry’s dynamic approaches, governments are caught off guard, advocates are on a reactionary mode, and intergovernmental organizations are unaware. The most potent tool to counter the tobacco industry’s tactics exists and it is embodied in Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC and its Guidelines for Implementation.

Article 5.3 provides that “In setting public health policies with respect to tobacco control, Parties shall act to protect these policies from the commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry.

The opportunity

Life-saving tobacco control measures are stunted if the tobacco industry continues to interfere. The world has taken some action to change this: Some countries have adopted measures to safeguard public officers from tobacco industry interactions. The UN General Assembly, in its 2011 high level meeting on NCDs, recognized the fundamental conflict of interest between public health and the tobacco industry. The UNDP has adopted a policy to reject funding from the tobacco industry, and the UN Global Compact excluded the tobacco industry from its participants. But there is more to be done.

In the spirit of strengthening tobacco control in order to save lives, WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub (KH) for Article 5.3 aims to provide actionable tools and whole of government strategies to overcome challenges brought on by the tobacco industry and those seeking to represent its interests.