FIC Argentina REPORT 2016 FIC Argentina INDEX
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Report 2016 FIC Argentina REPORT 2016 FIC Argentina INDEX 1 OPENING WORDS FROM BELÉN RIOS, LEGAL AREA DIRECTOR 7 2 MISSION, AGENDA AND WORK PRIORITIES 11 3 OUR STAFF 15 4 MAIN ACTIONS AND OUTCOMES IN 2016 17 5 FINANCIAL SUPPORT 37 6 PARTICIPATION IN NETWORKS AND COALITIONS 38 1 OPENING WORDS Belén Rios In the few years of our organization’s life, we have set the Legal Area Director objective of addressing the issue of non-communicable diseases from an increasingly interdisciplinary approach. In this way, we seek to contribute to broadening the view on public health beyond the medical paradigm by incorporating a human rights perspective. Tobacco control policies, prevention of harmful use of alcohol and promotion of healthy eating and physical activity are effective tools for protecting the human right to health. However, their importance has not always been acknowledged. Tobacco control movement is a good example of how this process took place. For decades, the issue was only promoted by the medical community, who saw the consequences of tobacco consumption on their patients’ health. 4 However, with the appearance of the World Health of All Forms of Discrimination against Women), which Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco details the marketing strategies deployed by the tobacco Control (FCTC), the discussion on tobacco control as a industry that specifically target women and girls promoting part of the human rights agenda became stronger. Since the consumption of an addictive and mortal product. In 2005, 180 States ratified the FCTC and several debates on this opportunity, and for the first time, the United Nations the human rights nature of this treaty took place in different Committee included the obligation of ratifying the FCTC countries. Judicial decisions around the world have in its recommendations for Argentina, as a way of fulfilling considered tobacco control policies as a valuable resource its human rights duties. In 2011 Argentina was reviewed to guarantee the protection of public health, as established by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural in international treaties. This discussion was different in Rights, the UN body that monitors implementation of Argentina, especially considering that our country has the International Covenant on Economic, Social and not yet ratified the FCTC. FIC Argentina has made great Cultural Rights. FIC Argentina presented a shadow report efforts to consolidate the link between tobacco control and before this Committee highlighting the State’s debts in human rights. One of our strategies –which got remarkable regards to tobacco control and the need of enacting more relevance in 2016– was to conduct advocacy actions restrictive measures for the protection of the right to health, during the evaluation meetings in which the Committees enshrined in article 12 of the Covenant. This Committee of International Treaties reviewed Argentina’s situation and also included FIC Argentina’s recommendations in its final in events where the scope and limitations of the right to observations. Finally, in 2012, the three countries that health were discussed. evaluated Argentina in the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council also recommended the FCTC In 2010 FIC Argentina presented its first shadow report ratification, taking the recommendations of our shadow before the CEDAW Committee (the United Nations (UN) report into consideration. body of experts of the Convention on the Elimination 5 These recommendations have been part of an international the tobacco industry interference. The Commissioners process through which we have stopped discussing the understood the relevance tobacco control has for the status of tobacco control as a human rights issue, and human rights agenda and highlighted the importance of instead acknowledge it as an indicator of compliance controlling the tobacco industry, understanding that their in right to health agenda. In addition, in 2015 the UN corrupt actions block the protection of fundamental rights. acknowledged the FCTC as an indicator of compliance of The thematic hearing in the IACHR gave us access to other the sustainable development goals (Goal 3: Ensure healthy advocacy opportunities, such as our participation in the lives and promote well-being for all at all ages). Organization of American States’ (OAS) Report on Poverty, and the report for the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of In this framework, 2016 constituted a milestone for FIC Expression. In both cases, we presented information on Argentina’s international advocacy efforts: we were able to non-communicable diseases, its risk factors and human include the tobacco control agenda in some of the most rights protection. relevant discussion instances worldwide, understanding that these are key opportunities to promote effective FIC Argentina also provided information for the UN Special policies to protect the right to health. In April 2016, and for Rapporteur on the Right to Health and for its report on the first time in its history, the Inter American Commission the Sustainable Development Goal 3. We highlighted the on Human Rights (IACHR) held a thematic hearing importance of non-communicable diseases’ determinants concerning the tobacco epidemic in the Americas as a and the effective measures to prevent them. We also human rights issue. FIC Argentina, along with the O ́Neill stressed the need of protecting the government from the Institute for National and Global Health Law and Action tobacco industry interference and promoting conflict of on Smoking & Health (ASH) presented arguments before interest-free policies. the IACHR to raise awareness about the need of enacting restrictive tobacco control measures and stopping 6 Finally, Argentina was reviewed again by the CEDAW also provided valuable tools to locally promote the Committee in 2016 and, along with other organizations, enactment of laws and regulations that meet international presented a new shadow report on tobacco control and commitments and the obligations established in our women’s rights. This was an important experience for our National Constitution. advocacy efforts since it was the first time these subjects were included in the formal civil society presentation before the Committee, stressing the urgency of ratifying the FCTC as an effective way of protecting women’s rights. The inclusion of tobacco control in the formal presentation shows that the gap between human rights and tobacco control is closing and that civil society considers tobacco control as a valuable tool to effectively protect the right to health. Also, the CEDAW Committee followed up its 2010 recommendations and, once again, acknowledged tobacco consumption as a serious menace for women’s health and understood that the Argentinian State does not comply with the obligations enshrined in the Convention as long as it does not enact regulations to reduce tobacco consumption. All these international advocacy actions have not only contributed to put non-communicable diseases and tobacco control into the human rights agenda but have 7 2 MISSION, AGENDA AND WORK PRIORITIES FIC Argentina is a non-profit organization created in 2008 suffer more from the consequences of non-communicable with the mission of promoting public policy and social diseases and have poor access to health services. change that guarantee the protection of the right to health through the reduction of non-communicable diseases, FIC Argentina is a self-financed, non-governmental such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, organization formally constituted in Argentina. Along cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases. with FIC México, FIC Jamaica and FIC Bolivia, it is affiliated to the InterAmerican Heart Foundation (IAHF), Tobacco consumption, malnutrition, harmful use of an organization created in 1995 in the United States, with alcohol and physical inactivity are the main determinants whom FIC Argentina shares its mission. of non-communicable diseases. For people to adopt healthy lifestyles, education for individual change is essential, but not sufficient. Public health policies aimed at modifying the environment and creating conditions that encourage decision-making processes are needed. These measures must be inclusive and prioritize children and adolescents, as well as low-income sectors, which face the greatest barriers to adopting healthy habits, 8 9 nt an reve d con o p tro T l n on -c ity o ctiv m a m al ic T u s o n i y p c h r a g p e b n i v e l t t e e a n o d e t MAIN OUR i m s h y o e a h r a t AGENDA r APPROACHES l p m s a e o f e u T s h l Human rights u e s t e o Gender o f a m l c o o h l o r Childhood T p o o b T a Inequality / Inequity / c c o c o Poverty n t r o l Tobacco consumption kills 44,000 Argentinians each year. Almost 8 out of 10 adolescents start drinking alcohol before the age of 14. Argentina spends 12% of its health expenditure to treat tobacco consumption-related diseases. 6 out of 10 adults are overweight. Why FIC Argentina? 8 out of 10 adolescents have sedentary lifestyles. 60% of deaths in Argentina are caused by non-communicable diseases. The average age in which children start smoking is between 12 and 13 years old. Argentina is one of the few countries in the world that has not ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. FIC ARGENTINA’S WORK SEEKS TO CHANGE THIS REALITY BY PROMOTING INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE PUBLIC POLICY. 11 3 OUR STAFF TOBACCO CONTROL AND LEGAL AREA ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AREA Director: Belén Rios