Author: Mary Assunta, Senior Policy Advisor, Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance; Head of Global Research and Advocacy, GGTC

The adoption of the WHO FCTC in 2005 is the most significant action that changed global tobacco control forever.

It stopped the tobacco industry in its tracks from applying its “divide and conquer” tactics because we now have a set of basic rules that is obligatory for all 184 Parties to apply and even go beyond. This is particularly important for low-and-middle income countries who bear the brunt of the tobacco burden.

Today, many countries in the Global South who applied the treaty to the maximum have emerged as leaders, setting benchmarks in tobacco control.

Active engagement from civil society played a key role in ensuring the Convention had effective measures and, despite interference from the tobacco industry to derail it, it passed successfully. We embrace Article 4.7 of the WHO FCTC and remain fully committed to fulfil our role as essential in achieving the objective of the Convention and its protocols.