The Africa tobacco harm reduction forum (ATHRF) is a bi- annual convening that brings together key stakeholders involved in efforts to curb conventional cigarette smoking in Africa. The platform draws together actors from governments, civil society, International organizations, legislators, media, academia and national campaigners to take stock of the current state of play on cigarette smoking in Africa as well as progress made through global, regional and country level initiatives.
The forum seeks to also act as a platform to articulate problems, propose solutions and explore opportunities for collaboration and common action.
The first ATHRF is being organized under the theme:
Safer Alternatives : A gateway to a smoke-free Africa?
This year’s forum is being co-convened by Campaign for Safer Alternatives (CASA) ; a pan-African organization that advocates for tailor-made solutions to end smoking in the region. It will be an interactive forum for stakeholders to engage each other and deliberate on Africa specific policy progress, challenges and solutions in curbing smoking in the region as well as emerging technologies and products that aid in quitting cigarettes.
People who smoke in Africa continue to be sidelined in the harm reduction response. A smoke-free Africa remains a mirage, in a context in which the human rights of people who smoke are acutely neglected. It is more urgent than ever that governments, and all relevant stakeholders, join arms in ramping up efforts to implement evidence-based tobacco harm reduction programs for people who smoke cigarettes in Africa.
The much anticipated forum looks to spark a conversation along these lines.
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