The Guide for WHO FCTC Parties on including SDG Target 3.a in voluntary national reviews (2021), published by the Convention Secretariat, aims to help Parties to include reference to, and reporting on, the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.a (Strengthen implementation of the WHO FCTC in all countries, as appropriate) in their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) of progress towards the SDGs. The recommendations are for the Parties in general and, within the Parties, for a broad audience that includes WHO FCTC focal points, other tobacco control stakeholders and entities responsible for VNR preparation.

Based on a review on existing VNRs and best practices from case studies, the guide recommends the following steps to be considered by the Parties:

• The entities responsible for the preparation of the VNR and the implementation of the WHO FCTC should be in contact from the beginning of the process.
• Data on implementation of the WHO FCTC should be available at the time of preparation of the VNR. It is recommended that Parties not only include data on Indicator 3.a.1 (Age-standardized prevalence of current tobacco use among persons aged 15 years and older) but also describe policy results, implementation achievements and lessons learned, and explain the links between WHO FCTC implementation and other goals.
• The entity in charge of preparation of the section(s) of the VNR relevant to Target 3.a should contact a variety of stakeholders from diverse sectors that are usually involved in the implementation of the WHO FCTC.

To further support the Parties in including the Target 3.a in the VNRs, the Knowledge Hub on Surveillance has extracted the following supplementary checklist based on the guide:

• Map the timeline, process and who is involved at different stages to reveal opportunities to engage;
• Map the relevant national data sources (e.g. from public health institutes, academic institutions, civil society organizations);
• Ensure the availability of relevant data and easy access to key results on progress or gaps in the implementation;
• Raise awareness of Target 3.a and promote research on the consequences of tobacco use (health, social, economical and environmental) to be used in the arguments for including it in the VNR;
• Contact the national statistical office to ensure that the indicator 3.a.1a is included in any potential statistical annex; and
• Communicate proactively with the VNR leader team and follow up during process.

Additionally, the Knowledge Hub recommends that Parties include the indicator 3.a.1 in the prevalence section of their WHO FCTC implementation reports, to provide an easy-to-find reference of the results and the relevant data sources for different entities involved in the VNR preparation process.