global youth action on tobacco

Global Youth Action on Tobacco

What youth bring to the global tobacco

control movement:

• A voice with special moral clarity

• Ability to discreetly monitor tobacco advertising, promotions, and sponsorships targeting young people

• Creativity and novel ideas for advocacy tactics and strategies

• Ability to mobilize large numbers of peers for activities

• Flexibility of time

• Familiarity with new social networking technologies

• Energy, enthusiasm and unbridled idealism

Global Youth Action on Tobacco

(GYAT)

Global Youth Action on Tobacco Network

• Founded by over 100 youth advocates from more than 35 countries

• Only worldwide youth advocacy network focused solely on tobacco control.

2009 GYAT Coordinating Committee

GYAT’s Mission:

• Boost global tobacco control efforts through contributions that youth advocates are uniquely qualified to make.

• Develop and enhance advocacy skills of young tobacco control advocates worldwide through cross-border sharing and exchange via email, internet, and in-person meetings/activities.

• Strengthen networking, collaboration, and solidarity campaigns among youth advocates worldwide. 

GYAT’s Mission:

• Monitor tobacco industry efforts to target young people worldwide.

• Promote greater integration of youth advocates into tobacco control efforts worldwide.

GYAT is:

• Action-oriented • Values youth empowerment

• Operates in a democratic fashion.

• Focused on countering the commercial tobacco industry rather than the tobacco plant itself.

GYAT membership:

• Open to all youth (defined broadly as age 30 and under) who are involved or have a strong interest in tobacco control advocacy.

• Persons above this age limit are eligible for membership if they work closely with youth who are members.

• GYAT members are required to be free of personal or organizational ties – direct or indirect – to the tobacco industry and its allies.

Youth Taking on Big Tobacco

Indonesia

“Quarantine” Philip Morris!

• Cigarettes = toxic product

• Philip Morris is spreading poison worldwide and sickening/killing millions.

• The company must be “quarantined”!

Dina Kania’s Statement I am here today representing Indonesia's youth and

children. While you celebrate the phenomenal profits this company has made, my heart is heavy because I carry the big burden of what your celebration means for me.

On March 30th, 2007, less than a month ago, I went to the Human Beatbox concert sponsored by A Mild, a product of Sampoerna. I saw children as young as five years old attended the concert, and spotted some very young smokers.

The children were exposed to A Mild logos printed on banners, T-shirts and basketball hoops,

and they had to witness sales, promotion girls offering discount cigarettes.

But, you are blatantly violating your own international marketing standards.

You committed to stop sponsorships of sporting events, advertising on television, celebrity endorsements and advertising that appealed to youth by December 31, 2002. It is April 2007 in my calendar, if that be so in yours as well. Five years on, and your company shamelessly continues to promote to my generation.

Your company is not a responsible corporation in my country. Why -- why have you not shown your responsibility and honor your own guidelines and stop advertising in sponsorship activities in Indonesia?

Thank you.

Louis Camilleri’s Response

Well, thank you for your question. I think it's misleading to try to simplify what are very complex issues.

Rather than trying to criticize us and come up with

various examples, some of which do not withstand scrutiny, I think you should be applauding what we've done since we've been to Indonesia, because we have taken a leadership role.

And you know that there's a lot of discussions within the government and the legislature to come up with marketing restrictions. So, we share the same goal.

The way we can influence events is to be present in the market. And if we are a leader in that market, we clearly have a lot more voice to be able to make changes.

We share a lot of common goals, and we will remain committed to trying to get fair, reasonable but strong legislation in place to ensure that the industry in totality will be viewed as a much more responsible industry in Indonesia.

So, thank you very much for coming.

George Benson Concert

BAT Shareholders Meeting

International Week of Action for

Smokefree Movies

India

Nigeria

USA (Arkansas)

Youth Taking on Policy Change

INDONESIA:

NCCP is now organizing street rally to be held on Indonesia's National Children's Day . . . to give pressure to the government to give protection for Indonesia's children from tobacco by having a Tobacco Control Law which we don't have at the moment. We will mobilize 400-500 youth advocates from all over Jakarta.

--Dina Kania, National Commission for

Child Protection (NCCP)

(GYAT Connect July/Aug 2007)

Youth Street Rally in Favor of Tobacco Control Law

India

• Smokefree Mumbai

• Implementing existing tobacco control laws

• Advocating for pictoral health warnings

Aditi Shastri, Mumbai

“Youth are working side by side with experienced doctors/legislators and politicians on this issue. The movement gained even more impetus when Bloomberg stepped in and made this a more powerful alliance.

The Legislation for Mumbai to go smokefree was passed on October 2, 2008. We are now working towards implementation. Youth in Mumbai are supporting the ban whole-heartedly-including

quite a few smokers.”

“There is a lot that has been done already - plenty of free press: prominent newspapers, magazines, the radio, television news, etc., There have been posters displayed at all religious and college youth festivals and received a great response.”

Youth Advocacy Training, Lucknow

New Delhi

Youth Campaign for Pictoral Health Warnings

Video available at:http://www.vimeo.com/2048696

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GYAT Delegation to India

Tunisia and Algeria

• Travaillons Sans Fumée

– The American Cancer Society is supporting youth advocates as they build coalitions with adult partners to support smokefree workplaces.

– Activities include community activism and advocacy and public education to support smokefree workplace policies.

Travaillons Sans Fumée Video

Video available at:

http://www.vimeo.com/2028530QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

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Gambia

Adeola Akinremi, with the Framework Convention Alliance, brings youth and adults to the table to support policy change

China: Green Breathing Association

• Xiamen University – Smoke-free campus policy

• Xiamen Marathon– Smoke-free spectator sections– Building momentum for a 100% smoke-

free marathon

• Green Ribbon Campaign

BASTA!: South and Central America

Jóvenes Latinoamericanos Libres de Tabaco

• Strong presence and ongoing training opportunities in Argentina

• GYAT members in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela

• Current campaign encouraging Argentina to ratify the global tobacco treaty (FCTC)

• http://basta-argentina.blogspot.com/

Veronica Sandler, Argentina

“ Our latest events include:

• Sending letters to three Senators to demand the ratification of the FCTC (September, 2008).

• Workshop "from youth to youth” (October, 2008) was organized by BASTA and UATA during the Pre conference of the 3º Argentinean Congress on Tobacco in Buenos Aires.

• It was focused on youth activism, youth empowerment, the role of young people in Tobacco Control

and the importance of the FCTC.”

• Involve youth and empower them with leadership

• Invest time and resources into youth programs

• Innovate creative ways to fight back

www.GYATnetwork.org