Should tobacco control advocates be recognized as human rights defenders? Growing awareness of intimidation faced by tobacco control advocates has prompted consideration of whether and how the legal framework used to protect human rights defenders (HRD) in the international system might strengthen protection for tobacco control advocates as well. ASH Managing Attorney
Recently, momentum for a human rights-based approach to tobacco control has been growing, as the human rights field increasingly understands the extreme harm caused by tobacco companies. This is made particularly evident by an important victory in a Concluding Observation from a human rights treaty body– a win that is directly related to advocacy efforts from ASH and our partners in the tobacco control
Women comprise roughly 20% of the world’s 1 billion+ people who smoke, with about 200 million female tobacco users globally. Although smoking among women is generally decreasing, it is falling at a slower rate than in men. Tobacco disproportionately harms women and girls and is often overlooked as a women’s rights
“There can be no doubt that the production and marketing of tobacco is irreconcilable with the human right to health,” concluded the Danish Institute for Human Rights after their assessment of Philip Morris International (PMI). As such, it’s essential to integrate human rights reporting and their resulting enforcement mechanisms into
The tobacco industry is relentlessly targeting women in Ireland, using advertisements that portray smoking as glamorous and sexy. But the truth is far darker: tobacco kills millions, and these aggressive marketing tactics violate women’s human rights. We Are Taking Action. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and the Tobacco Free
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and 38 signatory organizations wish the 59th session of the Human Rights Council every success and sincerely hope that the council will continue to promote the “right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health” as well
Recently, momentum for a human rights-based approach to tobacco control has been growing, as the human rights field increasingly understands the extreme harm caused by tobacco companies. This is made particularly evident by an important victory in a Concluding Observation from a human rights treaty body– a win that is directly related to advocacy efforts from ASH and our partners in the tobacco control
Recently, with the 20th anniversary of the WHO tobacco treaty (the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, FCTC), the tobacco control community has highlighted the FCTC’s contribution to other subject areas; many of which are taking the lessons learned and best practices and applying them to their fields. However, for International
All of ASH’s programs are based on the foundational concept that tobacco violates the right to health of all people. We take a human rights-based approach to tobacco control. Our liability program focuses on utilizing the courts and legal systems to protect the right to health from the harms of
Time and time again, Switzerland has prioritized the interests of the deadly tobacco industry over the interests and wishes of Swiss citizens, while publicly claiming to be fully committed to the universal protection of human rights. This new report exposes how Switzerland is failing to adequately protect human rights. Read
Reproductive rights. Protection from gender-based violence. Maternity leave. Workplace discrimination. These are the topics that usually come to mind when one thinks about women’s rights. But one important protection is often left off of the list – tobacco control. Tobacco negatively impacts women in myriad ways. A few examples include:
The tenth Conference of the Parties (COP 10) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) adopted a series of key Decisions including FCTC/COP10(13) Implementation of Article 19 of the WHO FCTC: Liability. ASH is a proud supporter of this Decision adopted by the COP, the governing body of the Framework
The tenth Conference of the Parties (COP 10) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) adopted a series of key Decisions including Decision FCTC/COP10(20) Contribution of the WHO FCTC to the promotion and fulfillment of human rights. ASH is a proud supporter of this Decision adopted by the COP, the
Social justice is both a public health and a human rights issue, and our work at ASH is designed to improve social justice around the world. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes that social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and
By: Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, Managing Attorney at ASH Throughout my time at ASH, I have visited the United Nations, both in New York and in Geneva, many times. But every single time I step onto a UN campus, I’m awestruck. This is where international change is made, and I am so
By Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, ASH and Dr. Raglan Maddox, ANU College of Health and Medicine While commercial tobacco use negatively impacts the right to health of all people, there are many groups whom have been intentionally targeted by the tobacco industry and their affiliates.[1] Groups have had their culture exploited for
Media Contact: Megan Manning ManningM@ash.org (202) 390 – 9513 208 Organizations Unite to Call on UN Committee to Recommend Stronger Tobacco Control Policies The UN Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is making recommendations on Racism and the Right to Health for its 182 party
Our goal at ASH is to protect everyone from the harms of tobacco. One way we strive to achieve that goal is by reducing health inequities and fighting for everyone’s right to health. In honor of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), here are some of the
Today, 200 million of the world’s one billion people who smoke are women[1] and 2.15 million women die from tobacco use every year.[2] Over 71% of those women live in low- and middle-income countries[3], where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.[4] While overall, smoking rates are decreasing,
Public health, and more specifically tobacco control, sits at the vortex of many important social issues such as development, human rights, law, and social justice. Tobacco companies have been aggressively targeting African Americans for generations with menthol cigarettes. As a result, over 85% of African Americans who smoke, smoke menthol
September 2022 – This year, many people and organizations have focused their energy on social justice, and ASH is no exception. As you may know, this summer, ASH led 120 organizations in submitting a report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The United States was up
Happy Human Rights Day! December 10th is International Human Rights Day, in observation of the day that the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This landmark document set out, for the first time, the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being. Tobacco, and
ASH Webinar on WHO FCTC Article 19: Using the Judicial System to Fight Tobacco November 10, 2020 Statement from Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, Managing Attorney at ASH Article 19: How it has been utilized, how it could be utilized, and problems that might arise in the process. My presentation today is
This press release was re-issued on September 3rd and December 3rd, 2020 with the addition of the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Medical Association (NMA) as a co-plantiffs. See the latest news release here. THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TOBACCO CONTROL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (AATCLC) AND ACTION ON SMOKING AND HEALTH
ASH Webinar on Endgame for Tobacco: The World We Want June 11, 2020 Statement from Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, Managing Attorney at ASH I wanted to give you all a quick overview of the tobacco treaty- the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)
