How to be the Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau?

How to be the Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau? 

The Fellows of CNS Writers' Bureau are voluntary citizen journalists writing on people-centric issues for sustainable development in their national contexts. These citizen journalists or community correspondents are people from all walks of life, and not necessarily trained journalists. These are people - human beings - who have something to say on issues they feel for or are affected by in their daily lives. Together they help document local realities and give a voice to the voiceless. Important to remember is, CNS focusses on issues that affect the vast majority of humankind.

Citizen News Service (CNS) with help from CNSi, Jay Inspire Co Ltd Thailand and other agencies aims to:

- Encourage people affected by different social/health conditions to directly speak up and find a way to speak up through CNS

- Provide assistance and if needed as much technical or analytical training as far as possible, to help people voice the issues affecting their lives effectively - unedited, unfiltered and uninhibited

- Continuously upgrade our content submission methods and expand the ways we disseminate the content generated by CNS in different languages and forms (audio-visual and internet)

- Continuously expand the distribution channels of CNS content, not only in terms of reaching out to different kinds of media globally but also translating content from different languages and syndicating them strategically.

How to become a Fellow of CNS Writers' Bureau?

Self-motivated individuals passionate about issues affecting their lives are welcome to contribute in different languages to CNS. They must read the following documents before sending their content:
- Content Submission Policy and Agreement 
- Issues in CNS Spotlight
- CNS Writers' Bureau 
- Creative Commons Attribution License 
- Privacy Policy  
- About Us 

If the potential writers (citizen journalists or community correspondents) agree to the CNS Content Submission Policy and Agreement, privacy policy, issues CNS focuses on, creative commons attribution license and other documents that define core values of CNS, they are welcome to send an email about their expression of interest to join CNS Writers' Bureau as Fellows to fellows@citizen-news.org . Our CNS team will get back to you with further details.

How to be the Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau?

How to be the Fellow of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau? 

The Fellows of CNS Writers' Bureau are voluntary citizen journalists writing on people-centric issues for sustainable development in their national contexts. These citizen journalists or community correspondents are people from all walks of life, and not necessarily trained journalists. These are people - human beings - who have something to say on issues they feel for or are affected by in their daily lives. Together they help document local realities and give a voice to the voiceless. Important to remember is, CNS focusses on issues that affect the vast majority of humankind.

Citizen News Service (CNS) with help from CNSi, Jay Inspire Co Ltd Thailand and other agencies aims to:

- Encourage people affected by different social/health conditions to directly speak up and find a way to speak up through CNS

- Provide assistance and if needed as much technical or analytical training as far as possible, to help people voice the issues affecting their lives effectively - unedited, unfiltered and uninhibited

- Continuously upgrade our content submission methods and expand the ways we disseminate the content generated by CNS in different languages and forms (audio-visual and internet)

- Continuously expand the distribution channels of CNS content, not only in terms of reaching out to different kinds of media globally but also translating content from different languages and syndicating them strategically.

How to become a Fellow of CNS Writers' Bureau?

Self-motivated individuals passionate about issues affecting their lives are welcome to contribute in different languages to CNS. They must read the following documents before sending their content:
- Content Submission Policy and Agreement 
- Issues in CNS Spotlight
- CNS Writers' Bureau 
- Creative Commons Attribution License 
- Privacy Policy  
- About Us 

If the potential writers (citizen journalists or community correspondents) agree to the CNS Content Submission Policy and Agreement, privacy policy, issues CNS focuses on, creative commons attribution license and other documents that define core values of CNS, they are welcome to send an email about their expression of interest to join CNS Writers' Bureau as Fellows to fellows@citizen-news.org . Our CNS team will get back to you with further details.

Issues in CNS Spotlight

abuse accountability adivasi adolescents agriculture ASEAN Asthma Avian Influenza Cancun 2009 child children citizen journalism cleft lip climate change communal harmony community radio corporate accountability dalit defense democracy dengue diabetes digital diptheria discrimination displacement dowry drug resistance education elections employment encounter energy environment epidemiology equity exploitation floods food security freedom of press FTA G20 G8 Summit Gandhian gender girl child global warming globalization H1N1 haemorrhoids harm reduction HCV health health financing health systems healthcare Hepatitis Hiroshima Day HIV/AIDS human rights hunger immunization indigenous Influenza International Hand Washing Day internet IPT kala azar labour leishmaniasis LTTE Lung Health Malaria malnutrition marginalized MDR-TB mental health microbicide migration minimum wage non-communicable diseases NREGA nuclear disarmament obesity Ozone passive smoking Patent peace People's Politics Front petition pictorial warnings Pneumonia politics pollution racism recession rehabilitation relationship research right to life right to water RTI sanitation scheme second hand smoke settlement sexual violence SEZ slum social justice surgery surrogate advertising survey sustainability Swine Flu TB terrorism TOBACCO Tobacco news summaries tobacco politics transparency treatment and care tribals tuberculosis UPASICON 2009 vaccination Violence against minorities Vitamin A Water Tribunal web 2.0 whooping cough women World Asthma Day 2009 World Breastfeeding Week World Diabetes Day World Food Day World No Tobacco Day 2008 World No Tobacco Day 2009 World Pneumonia Day World Water Forum youth

Issues in CNS Spotlight

abuse accountability adivasi adolescents agriculture ASEAN Asthma Avian Influenza Cancun 2009 child children citizen journalism cleft lip climate change communal harmony community radio corporate accountability dalit defense democracy dengue diabetes digital diptheria discrimination displacement dowry drug resistance education elections employment encounter energy environment epidemiology equity exploitation floods food security freedom of press FTA G20 G8 Summit Gandhian gender girl child global warming globalization H1N1 haemorrhoids harm reduction HCV health health financing health systems healthcare Hepatitis Hiroshima Day HIV/AIDS human rights hunger immunization indigenous Influenza International Hand Washing Day internet IPT kala azar labour leishmaniasis LTTE Lung Health Malaria malnutrition marginalized MDR-TB mental health microbicide migration minimum wage non-communicable diseases NREGA nuclear disarmament obesity Ozone passive smoking Patent peace People's Politics Front petition pictorial warnings Pneumonia politics pollution racism recession rehabilitation relationship research right to life right to water RTI sanitation scheme second hand smoke settlement sexual violence SEZ slum social justice surgery surrogate advertising survey sustainability Swine Flu TB terrorism TOBACCO Tobacco news summaries tobacco politics transparency treatment and care tribals tuberculosis UPASICON 2009 vaccination Violence against minorities Vitamin A Water Tribunal web 2.0 whooping cough women World Asthma Day 2009 World Breastfeeding Week World Diabetes Day World Food Day World No Tobacco Day 2008 World No Tobacco Day 2009 World Pneumonia Day World Water Forum youth

Pepsi to print ‘public water source’ on Labels

Pepsi to print ‘public water source’ on Labels

After years of mounting pressure against corporate control of water and demand for accountability, Pepsi has agreed to provide consumers with more information about the source of the water used for their bottled water brand ‘Aquafina’. In direct response to a national day of action earlier this month, Pepsi agreed to spell out “Public Water Source” on the Aquafina label.

As part of the ‘Think Outside the Bottle’ campaign, thousands of people have been urging Pepsi to make changes in the Aquafina label, which includes an image of snow-capped mountains and states “pure water, perfect taste”. Though the image implies that the source of Aquafina is mountain spring water, it actually uses tap water as its source. In fact, up to 40% of bottled water uses tap water as its source.

“Pepsi’s response to the Think Outside the Bottle campaign is an important first step,” says Gigi Kellett, Think Outside the Bottle Campaign Director. “Concerns about the bottled water industry, and increasing corporate control of water, are growing across the country. It is significant that Pepsi is taking some action, especially since Aquafina is the leading bottled water brand in the US.”

Pepsi’s decision to change the Aquafina label comes in the midst of growing national attention to the bottled water industry. Last month San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom banned city spending on bottled water and the US Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution highlighting the importance of public water systems and the negative impact of bottled water. According to San Francisco city-government officials, the ban is part of an effort to combat global warming and save taxpayer money. The mayor cited the enormous environmental impact of making, transporting and disposing of the bottles as the reason behind the ban on bottled water. Other public agencies and the private sector in the United States, as well as in other countries where potable drinking water can be drawn from the tap, should learn from his example.

Global consumption of bottled water had increased by 57 percent during 1999-2004 according to the Washington-based Earth Policy Institute. In 1999, it was 98 billion litres which rose up to 154 billion litres by 2004. The US, other Western industrialised countries and populous developing countries like China, Mexico and Brazil were among the top consumers of bottled water.

Some of the most alarming increase in bottled-water consumption has taken place in developing countries, including Thailand where water companies have aggressively promoted bottled water as part of a modern, healthy lifestyle, indirectly implying that tap water supply is unhealthy. Most consumers seem oblivious to the fact that bottled water is up to 1,000 times more expensive than tap water.

Most people in the world won’t have access to enough water within 20 years, according to the United Nations, and the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) projects 36 states in the U.S. will experience water shortages even sooner.

People in the U.S. spent $11 billion on bottled water last year, and Pepsi’s Aquafina generated $1.3 billion in revenues in 2005.

In addition to revealing the sites and sources of water used for bottling, the Think Outside the Bottle campaign calls on Pepsi, Coke and Nestlé to publicly report breaches in water quality, comparable to reports by public water systems, and to stop threatening local control of water when siting and operating bottling plants.

As natural rights, water rights are also usufructuary rights, that is, water can be used but not owned. People have a right to life and the resources that sustain it, such as water.

The necessity of water to life is why, under customary laws, the right to water has been accepted as a natural, social fact.

That is why governments and corporations cannot alienate people of their water rights. Water rights come from nature and creation. They flow from the laws of nature, not from the rules of the market.

Pepsi to print ‘public water source’ on Labels

Pepsi to print ‘public water source’ on Labels

After years of mounting pressure against corporate control of water and demand for accountability, Pepsi has agreed to provide consumers with more information about the source of the water used for their bottled water brand ‘Aquafina’. In direct response to a national day of action earlier this month, Pepsi agreed to spell out “Public Water Source” on the Aquafina label.

As part of the ‘Think Outside the Bottle’ campaign, thousands of people have been urging Pepsi to make changes in the Aquafina label, which includes an image of snow-capped mountains and states “pure water, perfect taste”. Though the image implies that the source of Aquafina is mountain spring water, it actually uses tap water as its source. In fact, up to 40% of bottled water uses tap water as its source.

“Pepsi’s response to the Think Outside the Bottle campaign is an important first step,” says Gigi Kellett, Think Outside the Bottle Campaign Director. “Concerns about the bottled water industry, and increasing corporate control of water, are growing across the country. It is significant that Pepsi is taking some action, especially since Aquafina is the leading bottled water brand in the US.”

Pepsi’s decision to change the Aquafina label comes in the midst of growing national attention to the bottled water industry. Last month San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom banned city spending on bottled water and the US Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution highlighting the importance of public water systems and the negative impact of bottled water. According to San Francisco city-government officials, the ban is part of an effort to combat global warming and save taxpayer money. The mayor cited the enormous environmental impact of making, transporting and disposing of the bottles as the reason behind the ban on bottled water. Other public agencies and the private sector in the United States, as well as in other countries where potable drinking water can be drawn from the tap, should learn from his example.

Global consumption of bottled water had increased by 57 percent during 1999-2004 according to the Washington-based Earth Policy Institute. In 1999, it was 98 billion litres which rose up to 154 billion litres by 2004. The US, other Western industrialised countries and populous developing countries like China, Mexico and Brazil were among the top consumers of bottled water.

Some of the most alarming increase in bottled-water consumption has taken place in developing countries, including Thailand where water companies have aggressively promoted bottled water as part of a modern, healthy lifestyle, indirectly implying that tap water supply is unhealthy. Most consumers seem oblivious to the fact that bottled water is up to 1,000 times more expensive than tap water.

Most people in the world won’t have access to enough water within 20 years, according to the United Nations, and the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) projects 36 states in the U.S. will experience water shortages even sooner.

People in the U.S. spent $11 billion on bottled water last year, and Pepsi’s Aquafina generated $1.3 billion in revenues in 2005.

In addition to revealing the sites and sources of water used for bottling, the Think Outside the Bottle campaign calls on Pepsi, Coke and Nestlé to publicly report breaches in water quality, comparable to reports by public water systems, and to stop threatening local control of water when siting and operating bottling plants.

As natural rights, water rights are also usufructuary rights, that is, water can be used but not owned. People have a right to life and the resources that sustain it, such as water.

The necessity of water to life is why, under customary laws, the right to water has been accepted as a natural, social fact.

That is why governments and corporations cannot alienate people of their water rights. Water rights come from nature and creation. They flow from the laws of nature, not from the rules of the market.

Women Farmers fast against Reliance Maha-Mumbai SEZ

Women Farmers fast against Reliance Maha-Mumbai SEZ


Seventeen farmers and activists from twenty four villages in Raigad District of Maharashtra have gone on indefinite fast since 19 July 2007. This is a symbolic non-violent struggle against the unabated land acquisition by the Reliance group for their 10,000-hectare-plus Maha-Mumbai SEZ (special economic zone).

It is high time for India to recognize the community for which development should be geared for. Development projects have been very often the cause of displacement and devastation for one of the most underserved communities. The Reliance Maha-Mumbai SEZ is just one of them.

The protest fast has been undertaken to demand withdrawal of Notification section 6 pertaining to land acquisition for SEZ projects which has not happened in spite of Maharashtra Chief Minister's public statements to this effect.

Although the Chief Minister had made a statement on the floor of the House that no 'forced acquisition' would take place in the state for SEZ projects, the notification permitting the land acquisition has not been withdrawn.

Women farmers and activists are on the forefront of the struggle and more than 50% of those sitting on the fast are women at the Tehsil headquarters in Pen (Raigad district).

Local Officials who met the farmers today spoke to activists Anant Patil and Ulka Mahajan who have demanded suspension of the corrupt Talati instrumental in fake sale deals for the SEZ. Activists also informed the official that top level Reliance officials in cohort with local agents have been involved in fake land acquisition.

Supports and solidarity groups are flooding the struggle site since morning of 19 July 2007 from Mumbai, Pune and other areas. Datta Iswalkar From Giringoan, Kamgar Sanghatana, Gjanan Khatu from People's Political front, and Prabhakar Narkar and Ramakant Patil from Janta Dal also visited the site and sat on dharna with the farmers almost the whole day on 19 July in support of the demands made by the farmers.

The key demands include:

* Stop forced acquisition and withdraw the section 6 notification immediately as assured on the state legislature floor by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra

* Declare the fraudulent land deals done by local agents on behalf of Reliance group illegal

* Public declaration by Collector listing land deals pertaining to SEZ

* Exclude 22 villages, of Pen, Raigad, and Maharashtra from the Maha-Mumbai SEZ

* Due to the polluted acidic water seeping in the farms by IPCL of Reliance Industries, Patalganga, the harvest has been totally destroyed. Activists demand just investigation in the pollution issue, and the farmers must be compensated for their loss for the paddy crop

It is high time that our policy makers and judiciary are reminded of Gandhiji's Talisman. One of the last notes left behind by Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, expressed his deepest social thought, which certainly gives the most righteous light and direction for development programmes - "I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

Time to do some introspection.

Women Farmers fast against Reliance Maha-Mumbai SEZ

Women Farmers fast against Reliance Maha-Mumbai SEZ


Seventeen farmers and activists from twenty four villages in Raigad District of Maharashtra have gone on indefinite fast since 19 July 2007. This is a symbolic non-violent struggle against the unabated land acquisition by the Reliance group for their 10,000-hectare-plus Maha-Mumbai SEZ (special economic zone).

It is high time for India to recognize the community for which development should be geared for. Development projects have been very often the cause of displacement and devastation for one of the most underserved communities. The Reliance Maha-Mumbai SEZ is just one of them.

The protest fast has been undertaken to demand withdrawal of Notification section 6 pertaining to land acquisition for SEZ projects which has not happened in spite of Maharashtra Chief Minister's public statements to this effect.

Although the Chief Minister had made a statement on the floor of the House that no 'forced acquisition' would take place in the state for SEZ projects, the notification permitting the land acquisition has not been withdrawn.

Women farmers and activists are on the forefront of the struggle and more than 50% of those sitting on the fast are women at the Tehsil headquarters in Pen (Raigad district).

Local Officials who met the farmers today spoke to activists Anant Patil and Ulka Mahajan who have demanded suspension of the corrupt Talati instrumental in fake sale deals for the SEZ. Activists also informed the official that top level Reliance officials in cohort with local agents have been involved in fake land acquisition.

Supports and solidarity groups are flooding the struggle site since morning of 19 July 2007 from Mumbai, Pune and other areas. Datta Iswalkar From Giringoan, Kamgar Sanghatana, Gjanan Khatu from People's Political front, and Prabhakar Narkar and Ramakant Patil from Janta Dal also visited the site and sat on dharna with the farmers almost the whole day on 19 July in support of the demands made by the farmers.

The key demands include:

* Stop forced acquisition and withdraw the section 6 notification immediately as assured on the state legislature floor by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra

* Declare the fraudulent land deals done by local agents on behalf of Reliance group illegal

* Public declaration by Collector listing land deals pertaining to SEZ

* Exclude 22 villages, of Pen, Raigad, and Maharashtra from the Maha-Mumbai SEZ

* Due to the polluted acidic water seeping in the farms by IPCL of Reliance Industries, Patalganga, the harvest has been totally destroyed. Activists demand just investigation in the pollution issue, and the farmers must be compensated for their loss for the paddy crop

It is high time that our policy makers and judiciary are reminded of Gandhiji's Talisman. One of the last notes left behind by Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, expressed his deepest social thought, which certainly gives the most righteous light and direction for development programmes - "I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

Time to do some introspection.

Youth appeal to United Nations to prioritise health

Youth appeal to United Nations to prioritise health

Ban ki Moon, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General will receive concerns of over a million youth from around the world, including South Korea, voicing concern on health issues in September 2007.

The young people of the world have raised vital concerns for UN to act upon. These concerns include:

- Nearly one-third of the children in the developing world remain under nourished or stunted, while 30% of the developing world's population suffers from deficiencies of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)
- The number of overweight and obese children has more than doubled in the last 25 years, carrying the risk of several chronic diseases in adulthood
- Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years - to 300,000 people a year
- Globally the number of people suffering from asthma has increased nearly 50% because of worsening air pollution
- By 2025, one third of world's population would not have access to any form of water
- Worldwide, 5 million people die of tobacco related diseases each year. The World Health Organization has predicted that by the year 2025, 500 million people worldwide will have died from tobacco related illnesses
- Of the estimated 39.5 million people living with HIV in 2006, young people (below 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide - around 6,000 become infected with HIV every day. Women accounted for 48% of all adults living with HIV worldwide and are especially vulnerable in conditions of gender inequality.

UN had identified Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for equitable social development, poverty alleviation and improvement in the health of global populations. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world's countries and leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the poorest. Halfway to a 2015 deadline, there has been clear progress towards implementing the Millennium Development Goals. But their overall success is still far from assured, Millennium Development Goals Progress Report 2007 prepared by the United Nations has found.

Youth-For-Health (http://y4h.hriday-shan.org/una.php) initiated a global campaign to mobilize youth to strengthen advocacy efforts to make their voices heard, and be counted. The campaign believes that many of the present policies, which have a profound impact on health, development and environment, are likely to impact adversely on the present and future health of our generation. The campaign urges the United Nations to seriously consider how such policies can be recast to promote and protect the health in a sustainable manner.

Global Youth Action on Tobacco (GYAT) - www.gyatnetwork.org - a worldwide network of hundreds of youth with a significant representation from developing countries - has demonstrated commitment to improve the quality and accountability of tobacco control responses, by facilitating information, dialogue and advocacy platforms for engaging youth in a meaningful and inclusive manner - globally. Young people leading GYAT have been monitoring tobacco industry interference in health policy around the world and have played a key role in building youth leadership in health initiatives globally.


The Youth-For-Health has come up with a charter which calls for:
- Strict enforcement of food and agricultural policies which will make healthy food (like fruits and vegetables) available to all at affordable prices and regulate unhealthy foods (like those containing high proportions of trans-fats and refined sugars)
- Urban planning which promotes safe and pleasurable physical activity (by providing green areas, safe pedestrian pathways and protected cycle lanes)
- Strong tobacco control policies and programmes; establishing smoke-free public and work places to overcome the hazards associated with passive smoking
- Peer to peer learning to prevent HIV/AIDS among youth
- Augmenting gender equality and gender respect
- Peace and non violent resolution of conflicts
- Effectively disseminating heath awareness through mass media

It is encouraging to see informed youth voices getting centre-stage in advocating for a better world. Although health policy discourses have been dominated by 'experts' for long, it will be a major shift in recognising the wisdom of giving a space for the young people to participate meaningfully in the discourses for policy change.

Published in:

The Seoul Times (South Korea): 24 July 2007

The Scoop Independent News (New Zealand): 23 July 2007

The Central Chronicle (India): 20 July 2007

Youth appeal to United Nations to prioritise health

Youth appeal to United Nations to prioritise health

Ban ki Moon, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General will receive concerns of over a million youth from around the world, including South Korea, voicing concern on health issues in September 2007.

The young people of the world have raised vital concerns for UN to act upon. These concerns include:

- Nearly one-third of the children in the developing world remain under nourished or stunted, while 30% of the developing world's population suffers from deficiencies of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)
- The number of overweight and obese children has more than doubled in the last 25 years, carrying the risk of several chronic diseases in adulthood
- Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years - to 300,000 people a year
- Globally the number of people suffering from asthma has increased nearly 50% because of worsening air pollution
- By 2025, one third of world's population would not have access to any form of water
- Worldwide, 5 million people die of tobacco related diseases each year. The World Health Organization has predicted that by the year 2025, 500 million people worldwide will have died from tobacco related illnesses
- Of the estimated 39.5 million people living with HIV in 2006, young people (below 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide - around 6,000 become infected with HIV every day. Women accounted for 48% of all adults living with HIV worldwide and are especially vulnerable in conditions of gender inequality.

UN had identified Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for equitable social development, poverty alleviation and improvement in the health of global populations. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world's countries and leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the poorest. Halfway to a 2015 deadline, there has been clear progress towards implementing the Millennium Development Goals. But their overall success is still far from assured, Millennium Development Goals Progress Report 2007 prepared by the United Nations has found.

Youth-For-Health (http://y4h.hriday-shan.org/una.php) initiated a global campaign to mobilize youth to strengthen advocacy efforts to make their voices heard, and be counted. The campaign believes that many of the present policies, which have a profound impact on health, development and environment, are likely to impact adversely on the present and future health of our generation. The campaign urges the United Nations to seriously consider how such policies can be recast to promote and protect the health in a sustainable manner.

Global Youth Action on Tobacco (GYAT) - www.gyatnetwork.org - a worldwide network of hundreds of youth with a significant representation from developing countries - has demonstrated commitment to improve the quality and accountability of tobacco control responses, by facilitating information, dialogue and advocacy platforms for engaging youth in a meaningful and inclusive manner - globally. Young people leading GYAT have been monitoring tobacco industry interference in health policy around the world and have played a key role in building youth leadership in health initiatives globally.


The Youth-For-Health has come up with a charter which calls for:
- Strict enforcement of food and agricultural policies which will make healthy food (like fruits and vegetables) available to all at affordable prices and regulate unhealthy foods (like those containing high proportions of trans-fats and refined sugars)
- Urban planning which promotes safe and pleasurable physical activity (by providing green areas, safe pedestrian pathways and protected cycle lanes)
- Strong tobacco control policies and programmes; establishing smoke-free public and work places to overcome the hazards associated with passive smoking
- Peer to peer learning to prevent HIV/AIDS among youth
- Augmenting gender equality and gender respect
- Peace and non violent resolution of conflicts
- Effectively disseminating heath awareness through mass media

It is encouraging to see informed youth voices getting centre-stage in advocating for a better world. Although health policy discourses have been dominated by 'experts' for long, it will be a major shift in recognising the wisdom of giving a space for the young people to participate meaningfully in the discourses for policy change.

Published in:

The Seoul Times (South Korea): 24 July 2007

The Scoop Independent News (New Zealand): 23 July 2007

The Central Chronicle (India): 20 July 2007

148 Nations to Protect Health Policy From Tobacco Industry Interference

148 Nations to Protect Health Policy From Tobacco Industry Interference

7 July 2007

BANGKOK — The 148 nations meeting at the Second Conference of Parties (COP2) to the global tobacco treaty have committed themselves to develop specific guidelines for protecting health policy from tobacco industry interference.

The global tobacco treaty, formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), will save millions of lives and change the way tobacco corporations operate around the world. Members of the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) commend Parties for their vigilance in protecting ongoing treaty implementation from interference by the tobacco industry.

Article 5.3 of the FCTC obligates Parties to "protect these [public health] policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry." Allowing tobacco corporations to influence tobacco control policy violates both the spirit and letter of the FCTC. Parties demonstrated strong leadership at COP2 in taking the decision to push forward with policy guidelines to implement Article 5.3.

"Big Tobacco's interference in health policy is one of the greatest threats to the global tobacco treaty's implementation and enforcement," explains Kathryn Mulvey of Corporate Accountability International, a NATT member. "Philip Morris/Altria, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco (JT) use their political influence to weaken, delay and defeat tobacco control legislation around the world. While the industry claims to have changed its ways, it continues to use sophisticated methods to undermine meaningful legislation."
South Africa has long been a leader in tobacco control, and recently advanced a bill to close loopholes and strengthen its tobacco control laws. A month prior to the parliamentary deliberations on the bill, both Swedish Match and the Tobacco Institute of South Africa sent letters to the Health Portfolio Committee asking for the inclusion of a provision that would empower the health minister to exempt certain tobacco products. Unfortunately, the tobacco corporations were partially successful in shaping the debate in their favor. Later, Swedish Match and BAT sponsored a foreign tour for more than 20 South African legislators to Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Members of NATT also highlighted tobacco industry interference at COP2. " Japan attempted to bully other countries by reminding them of Japan 's significant contributions to the COP budget," says Akinbode Oluwafemi of Environmental Rights Action, a member of NATT from Nigeria . "However, the Japanese government owns 50% of Japan Tobacco. Japan 's contribution to support the global tobacco treaty represents less than 1% of its share of Japan Tobacco's profits."

Government officials in Thailand are fighting back. "In my country, tobacco corporations, led by Philip Morris/Altria, have been exploiting our tobacco tax policy by dramatically underreporting the cost of cigarettes thereby lowering the amount of taxes the corporations owe," explains Dr. Hatai Chitanondh, President of Thailand Health Promotion Institute. "For example, Philip Morris/Altria reports Marlboro to cost just 7 baht per pack (22 cents). We have calculated the loss from the tobacco industry to be upwards of 650 million dollars."

Thailand joined Brazil , Ecuador , Palau , and the Netherlands in volunteering to lead a process to develop policies to bolster the capacity of government to challenge these types of interference and to implement their obligations under Article 5.3 of the treaty. According to Dr. Chitanondh, "the development of guidelines on Article 5.3 is a major step forward and will help Parties to protect their national health policies from tobacco industry interference."

"From Africa to Latin America to the Middle East and Southeast Asia , we are hearing of attempts to interfere at the highest levels of government. Fortunately, parties have taken the critical step of initiating the policy guidelines process to assist governments in standing up to Big Tobacco's attempts to interfere," explains Mulvey. Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. For 30 years, we've forced corporations—like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria—to stop abusive actions. Corporate Accountability International, an NGO in Official Relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), played a key role in development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Online at: http://www.theseoultimes.com/ST/db/read.php?idx=5483

148 Nations to Protect Health Policy From Tobacco Industry Interference

148 Nations to Protect Health Policy From Tobacco Industry Interference

7 July 2007

BANGKOK — The 148 nations meeting at the Second Conference of Parties (COP2) to the global tobacco treaty have committed themselves to develop specific guidelines for protecting health policy from tobacco industry interference.

The global tobacco treaty, formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), will save millions of lives and change the way tobacco corporations operate around the world. Members of the Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) commend Parties for their vigilance in protecting ongoing treaty implementation from interference by the tobacco industry.

Article 5.3 of the FCTC obligates Parties to "protect these [public health] policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry." Allowing tobacco corporations to influence tobacco control policy violates both the spirit and letter of the FCTC. Parties demonstrated strong leadership at COP2 in taking the decision to push forward with policy guidelines to implement Article 5.3.

"Big Tobacco's interference in health policy is one of the greatest threats to the global tobacco treaty's implementation and enforcement," explains Kathryn Mulvey of Corporate Accountability International, a NATT member. "Philip Morris/Altria, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco (JT) use their political influence to weaken, delay and defeat tobacco control legislation around the world. While the industry claims to have changed its ways, it continues to use sophisticated methods to undermine meaningful legislation."
South Africa has long been a leader in tobacco control, and recently advanced a bill to close loopholes and strengthen its tobacco control laws. A month prior to the parliamentary deliberations on the bill, both Swedish Match and the Tobacco Institute of South Africa sent letters to the Health Portfolio Committee asking for the inclusion of a provision that would empower the health minister to exempt certain tobacco products. Unfortunately, the tobacco corporations were partially successful in shaping the debate in their favor. Later, Swedish Match and BAT sponsored a foreign tour for more than 20 South African legislators to Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Members of NATT also highlighted tobacco industry interference at COP2. " Japan attempted to bully other countries by reminding them of Japan 's significant contributions to the COP budget," says Akinbode Oluwafemi of Environmental Rights Action, a member of NATT from Nigeria . "However, the Japanese government owns 50% of Japan Tobacco. Japan 's contribution to support the global tobacco treaty represents less than 1% of its share of Japan Tobacco's profits."

Government officials in Thailand are fighting back. "In my country, tobacco corporations, led by Philip Morris/Altria, have been exploiting our tobacco tax policy by dramatically underreporting the cost of cigarettes thereby lowering the amount of taxes the corporations owe," explains Dr. Hatai Chitanondh, President of Thailand Health Promotion Institute. "For example, Philip Morris/Altria reports Marlboro to cost just 7 baht per pack (22 cents). We have calculated the loss from the tobacco industry to be upwards of 650 million dollars."

Thailand joined Brazil , Ecuador , Palau , and the Netherlands in volunteering to lead a process to develop policies to bolster the capacity of government to challenge these types of interference and to implement their obligations under Article 5.3 of the treaty. According to Dr. Chitanondh, "the development of guidelines on Article 5.3 is a major step forward and will help Parties to protect their national health policies from tobacco industry interference."

"From Africa to Latin America to the Middle East and Southeast Asia , we are hearing of attempts to interfere at the highest levels of government. Fortunately, parties have taken the critical step of initiating the policy guidelines process to assist governments in standing up to Big Tobacco's attempts to interfere," explains Mulvey. Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. For 30 years, we've forced corporations—like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria—to stop abusive actions. Corporate Accountability International, an NGO in Official Relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), played a key role in development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Online at: http://www.theseoultimes.com/ST/db/read.php?idx=5483

UN report paints mixed picture

UN report paints mixed picture

The United Nations will publish the most comprehensive global assessment on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Monday, (2 July 2007), with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launching the report in Geneva.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 comes at the midpoint of a 15-year effort to implement eight key development objectives which world leaders have pledged to achieve by 2015, including halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty. The report paints a mixed picture - there has been clear progress but overall success is still far from assured.

In Asia-Pacific, dramatic gains in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger have been accompanied by rapidly rising inequality, particularly in East Asia. At the same time, Asia's path to the MDGs may be obstructed by challenges in other areas-such as health, environment and gender equality.

These include deforestation, unplanned urbanization and the fast rate of HIV/AIDS infections in some parts of the region.

Progress in improving child nutrition is still unacceptably slow. If current trends continue, the report says, Asia will fall short of reaching the MDG target of halving the proportion of underweight children. South-East Asia is among the sub-regions with the highest percentage of children under five suffering from malnutrition --28 per cent. Asia is also lagging in meeting the goal of promoting gender equality, the report finds, noting that large numbers of women are still shut out of jobs and receive poor health care.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 is the most comprehensive assessment of progress towards the MDGs, using data gathered by over 20 organizations both within and outside the UN system.

The Asia-Pacific regional launch will take place in Bangkok at 1100 at the United Nations Conference Centre. Shigeru Mochida, Deputy Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), will present the report. He will be joined by Ms. Erna Witoelar, United Nations Special Ambassador for the Millennium Development Goals for Asia and the Pacific, and heads/ representatives of some UN agencies in Bangkok.

Published in:

INDIA: CENTRAL CHRONICLE: 2 July 2007: http://www.centralchronicle.com/20070702/0207307.htm

SOUTH KOREA: THE SEOUL TIMES: 3 JULY 2007: http://www.theseoultimes.com/ST/db/read.php?idx=5472

UN report paints mixed picture

UN report paints mixed picture

The United Nations will publish the most comprehensive global assessment on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Monday, (2 July 2007), with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launching the report in Geneva.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 comes at the midpoint of a 15-year effort to implement eight key development objectives which world leaders have pledged to achieve by 2015, including halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty. The report paints a mixed picture - there has been clear progress but overall success is still far from assured.

In Asia-Pacific, dramatic gains in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger have been accompanied by rapidly rising inequality, particularly in East Asia. At the same time, Asia's path to the MDGs may be obstructed by challenges in other areas-such as health, environment and gender equality.

These include deforestation, unplanned urbanization and the fast rate of HIV/AIDS infections in some parts of the region.

Progress in improving child nutrition is still unacceptably slow. If current trends continue, the report says, Asia will fall short of reaching the MDG target of halving the proportion of underweight children. South-East Asia is among the sub-regions with the highest percentage of children under five suffering from malnutrition --28 per cent. Asia is also lagging in meeting the goal of promoting gender equality, the report finds, noting that large numbers of women are still shut out of jobs and receive poor health care.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 is the most comprehensive assessment of progress towards the MDGs, using data gathered by over 20 organizations both within and outside the UN system.

The Asia-Pacific regional launch will take place in Bangkok at 1100 at the United Nations Conference Centre. Shigeru Mochida, Deputy Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), will present the report. He will be joined by Ms. Erna Witoelar, United Nations Special Ambassador for the Millennium Development Goals for Asia and the Pacific, and heads/ representatives of some UN agencies in Bangkok.

Published in:

INDIA: CENTRAL CHRONICLE: 2 July 2007: http://www.centralchronicle.com/20070702/0207307.htm

SOUTH KOREA: THE SEOUL TIMES: 3 JULY 2007: http://www.theseoultimes.com/ST/db/read.php?idx=5472