The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4097.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 1:24 PM

Abstract #45957

Tobacco, Treaties and the Women’s Movement – the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Soon-Young Yoon, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 915 Castle Point Terrace, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201 653-7658, yoonwho@aol.com

ABSTRACT: Using anthropological methods and text analysis of UN documents, this paper argues that legally-binding treaties such as the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control are political rallying points that can help intersect the tobacco control movement with the international women’s movement. The future of women’s health activism related to tobacco is a particularly challenging and new area of interaction between local and international political processes. The Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 (Beijing) gathered together 50,000 women and men in the largest assemblage of the international women’s movement in history and was a political landmark for the international feminist health movement, particularly for American women. However, the linkages between this social movement and the tobacco control movement still remain tenuous. Likewise, the political strategy in public health for using such international accords as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women has been underused. This paper argues that with the challenges of globalization, mass penetration of advertising and commercialization of health in developing countries, it is necessary to apply cross-treaty analyses that include the FCTC. Case examples are provided from developing countries such as Brazil and India.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Gender, Tobacco Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: World Health Organization
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

International Issues in Tobacco Control

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA