The role of organized civil society in tobacco control in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Civil society has been the engine that has permitted many of the accomplishments seen in tobacco control in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, the role of civil society is not clearly understood. Civil society plays five main roles: advocate, coalition builder, provider of evidence-based information, watchdog and service provider. Some of these roles are played weakly by civil society in the region and should be encouraged to support beneficial societal change. Civil society working in tobacco control has evolved over the years to now become more professionalized. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use have brought about significant change with positive and negative consequences. Strengthening civil society not only supports the tobacco control movement but it provides competencies that may be used in many ways to promote change in democratic societies.
InterAmerican Heart Foundation, Inc. 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, Texas 75231, USA. beatriz.champagne@interamericanheart.org
Beatriz Marcet
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Champagne
Ernesto
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Sebrié
Verónica
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Schoj
D017691:Caribbean Region; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D009938:Organizations; D000074606:Smoking Prevention