Tobacco Control in Africa - TCA

The controversial pro bono ad campaign in France reminds me of another one and of the need for video clips during the upcoming World Cup

Lost in the controversy around the recent ad campaign in France is the very important fact it is a pro bono campaign. Another excellent pro bono clip was the one filmed in 1991 with soccer star Johan Cruyff juggling with a cigarette pack that we recycled with great success during a past World Cup. With the upcoming World Cup in Africa it would make sense to have a set of different clips from different continents that could be given away to TV channels  (and movie theaters) to air as public service announcements.

La campagne antitabac qui choque la France: qu'en pensez-vous?

Que pensez-vous du clip video (YouTube) qui fait partie de la campagne réalisée gracieusement par l'agence de publicité BDDP fils (production Wanda) pour l'association des droits des non-fumeurs? En fait ce qui choque le plus une partie de l'opinion ce sont deux visuels (voir ci-dessous). C'est la seconde fois que BDDP collabore pro bono avec DNF. Voir le film de 2008 et une bonne analyse sur le blog publigeekaire et aussi sur Rue89.

Graphic/picture warnings in Africa

Rob Cunningham has produced a résumé of the situation worldwide (below). I have extracted what concerns Africa: Egypt (2008), Djibouti (2009), Mauritius (2009), under consideration South Africa.

Have sizable but not graphic warnings: Cameroon (50%, 50%), Eritrea (50%, 50%), Madagascar (50%, 50%).

Plenty of room for improvement since this change does not require any significant funding.

Working toward a Google map of the FCTC implementation reports

Still very much a work in progress. I think the map will make it easier and faster to access the information.

Source: WHO

FCA: What priorities now that the Framework Convention is 5 years old?

FCA distributed a press release (below) looking at what the priorities should be now that the Framework Convention is 5 years old. Laurent Huber insists about the limited size of the budgets devoted to tobacco control. I am not sure I agree when Bloomberg and Gates have poured hundreds of millions ($500 millions to be precise) to support advocacy. Before asking for more it seems to me one should seriously look at how those millions have been/are used. Until now there has not really been a detailed report/evaluation about the use of those funds.

As far as Africa is concerned there is an evaluation going on about the IDRC programs but who cares about it? Should' nt we look very closely at how those $5.2 millions that represented (by far) the biggest budget even awarded to tobacco control in Africa have been used, especially when two new programs are going to start also with significant funding: $10 millions for WHO and $7 millions for ACS and the "African Consortium". Even spread on 5 years this is not small change.

What did we get out of the 5 millions + given to IDRC to promote tobacco control in Africa? What lessons can be learned from this program? But do we even really want to closely look? Do we want to look at what -eventually- did not work so we don't repeat the same mistakes, so we change what needs to change?

It is tempting (and easy) to continue crying for more money and proclaim we are poorly funded but the reality is that tobacco control advocates (or at least some of them) never have had so much money. What are they doing with it?

FCA: Quels objectifs alors que la convention cadre va avoir 5 ans?

FCA distribue un communiqué (ci-dessous) à l'occasion du cinquième anniversaire de la convention cadre. Laurent Huber insiste sur la faiblesse des crédits affectés à la lutte antitabac. Je ne suis pas certain de pouvoir le suivre sur ce terrain alors que Bloomberg et Gates ont déversé des centaines de millions pour financer cette lutte. Avant d'en réclamer davantage il me semble que l'on devrait sérieusement regarder comment ces millions ont été, sont utilisés. Jusqu'à présent on n'a pas vraiment rendu compte clairement de cette utilisation. 

En ce qui concerne l'Afrique la question est particulièrement d'actualité avec l'évaluation en cours des programmes IDRC (mais qui s'en soucie?) et l'amorce de la mise en place des deux grosses subventions accordées par la Fondation Gates: 10 millions pour l'OMS et 7 millions pour ACS et le "Consortium Africain". 

Qu'a-t-on obtenu des 5 millions + confiés par Gates à IDRC? Que peut-on tirer comme enseignements de ce programme? Mais veut-on seulement l'examiner sérieusement et voir ce qui -éventuellement- pose problème et devrait/doit changer? 

Il est tentant (et facile) de continuer à crier misère mais la réalité c'est que les activistes (ou tout au moins certains d'entre eux) ont rarement eu autant d'argent. Qu'en font-ils?

A look at the groups funded by FCA (thanks to a grant from the Norwegian Cancer Society) in 2009

On this Google Map. List below.

IRDC-CRDI récapitulatif des projets financés par la Fondation Gates (et Google Map)

Une carte Google vient s'ajouter à la liste réalisée précédemment en novembre 2009. Deux liens du site IDRC ne fonctionnent plus: relatifs au projet ATCA et ACS. Nous allons essayé de les retrouver. Il est en effet important de savoir où on en est. Nous ne disposons pas d'information sur le budget de la réunion programmée à Dakar en avril: il doit être substantiel.

A look at the projects funded by the Bloomberg Initiative in Sub-Sahara

I have created a Google map that Identifies the tobacco control groups in Sub-Sahara that received funding from the Bloomberg Initiative. The total of the grants awarded as of February 2010 amounts to $2.484.967.

The original information can be found on the initiative website but their map is not that easy to find (here it is) and the presentation is not synthetic.

Transparency International in Sub-Sahara Africa

A program funded by the Gates Foundation.

Imagerie du Sida, imagerie du tabac

Ce billet imagé du blog Toubabou à Bamako est consacré au Sida. Quelles images pour informer sur les risques associés au tabagisme? Si vous en avez, comment les partagez-vous? N'hésitez pas à nous les envoyer. Merci d'avance.

South Africa: The National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) urges finance minister Pravin Gordhan to review tobacco tax rates

Source: AllAfrica

Voice of America: Smoking in Africa: The Business, The culture, The risks.

Voice of America has produced a series of segments about tobacco smoking in Africa.

Listen to the podcasts.

Source: Voice of America

La Voix de l'Amérique: Le tabagisme, un problème préoccupant en Afrique

Source: La Voix de l'Amérique 

L’Afrique devrait doubler sa consommation de tabac dans 12 ans si la tendance actuelle se poursuit. Un nombre croissant de jeunes Africains de moins de 20 ans – la majorité de la population africaine – fument. 

Des enfants vendent des cigarettes dans les rues de Mekele, ville du nord de l’Ethiopie. Ils offrent des marques locales et internationales. Des rues de Mekele à celle d’Abidjan, du nord au sud du continent, la consommation du tabac continue de croître. Beaucoup de fumeurs ont commencé dès le jeune âge. 

How much did the Bloomberg Family Foundation receive from the Gates Foundation? $24 million or $30 million?

One page says $30 million for 3 years and another one says $24 million for 2 years.

Bloomberg Family Foundation

Date: May 2008

Purpose: to support the Bloomberg Initiative in their efforts to reverse the global epidemic of tobacco use

Amount: $30,875,000

Term: 3 years

Topic: Tobacco

Region Served: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Global

Program: Global Health

Grantee Location: New York, New York

Grantee Web site: Not available

The disappearance of the Gates Foundation - 2

In a most recent announcement disseminated by ATCRI (see below) about the $7 million grant provided by the Gates Foundation, the Gates Foundation is not mentioned. For an uninformed reader it could look like the funding comes from the American Cancer Society as they are the only ones presented as funders. A strange omission.

After checking with ATCA's President it appears that the Gates Foundation prefers not to be mentioned. I wonder why.

Disparition de la Fondation Gates (suite)

Dans un communiqué diffusé par ATCRI (ci-dessous) au sujet de la subvention de 7 millions de dollars de la Fondation Gates, le nom de la Fondation Gates n'est pas prononcé: l'American Cancer Society apparaît seule, comme si c'était elle qui founissait les fonds. Une bizarre omission.

Après vérification auprès de la Présidente d'ATCA, la Fondation Gates préférerait ne pas être mentionnée. Je me demande pourquoi.

Glasspockets: bringing transparency to the world of philanthropy

Glasspockets is a strange new service available on line.

The evaluation process at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

An interesting model to look at. I also like their pioneering ideas blog and the many links they have gathered.

What is the role of the Union (against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease)

The Union was awarded a significant part of the grant given by Michael Bloomberg. It is headquarted in Paris but its Tobacco Control department is based in Edinburgh. It would have a staff of more than 100 technical consultants, programme managers, policy and communication experts.

How Bill Gates got involved in tobacco control

Researching for some background about the Gates Foundation's involvement in tobacco control I found this article of July 24 2008 by Kristi Heim and Sandi Doughton of the Seattle Times. It was very informative and interesting and still is now.

RDC - Goma: Un rapport de Paul Lughembé sur le non respect de l'interdiction de fumer dans les organisations internationales à Goma

Le rapport de Paul Lughembé qui fournit témoignages et détails est disponible via Google.docs et ci-dessous.

IDRC has selected two reviewers: Mira Aghi and Burke Fishburn

The two experts selected by IDRC are: Mira Aghi and Burke Fishurn

Le CRDI a sélectionné deux experts pour effectuer l'évaluation de ses programmes antitabac: Mira Aghi et Burke Fishburn.

Les deux experts retenus par le CRDI sont le Mira Aghi et Burke Fishburn.

Mira Aghi, Ph.D.
P-14 Green Park Extension
New Delhi, India 110016
Phone: (91) 11-2619-3770
Fax: (91) 11-2462-2707
E-mail: ask us or go to globalink and find out

What participation of the UK's Department For International Development in the IDRC's evaluation process?

A closer reading of IDRC's statement about the ongoing evaluation process reveals that:

"IDRC has also invited a representative from the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, a major funding partner of RITC, to participate in the review process and will be attending meetings of the panel and IDRC staff."

It turns out -as you can see from previous posts- that DFID is a very active part of the International Transparency Initiative. The question now is: is the DFID's representative going to agree with the decision not to communicate the names of the panel members? But that would not be very transparent.

I have also asked DFID to provide the name of its representative.

IDRC-RITC-ATSA: For a participatory program evaluation

When considering an evaluation it is possible to choose a participative or participatory approach where all the stakeholders and concerned actors are invited to contribute. That means everybody is included in the process and the "experts" are mostly facilitators and recorders of what the community has to say. How can the community be engaged if/when the names of the "experts" in charge of the "evaluation" remains secret? Beyond that irrelevant cult of secrecy it is up to the community to take charge of the evaluation: the advocates can take the initiative to tell about their experiences with the program, what they valued and what they eventually consider mistakes to be avoided, corrected. Thanks to the internet and the other modern communication tools this is totally within our reach. What do YOU think? 

CRDI- ASTA: Pour une évaluation participative

Alors que va commencer le processus d'évaluation des programmes du CRDI il paraît intéressant de s'interroger sur le type même d'évaluation choisi. A une évaluation conduite de haut en bas fondée essentiellement sur des "experts" venus de l'extérieur on peut préférer une évaluation dite participative (pdf) dans laquelle tous les acteurs concernés sont invités à contribuer. Cette approche est même mentionnée sur le site du CRDI. On voudrait espérer que ce sera le cas pour l'évaluation en cours. Mais en fait les activistes sont libres de prendre elles-mêmes et eux mêmes la décision d'engager une telle évaluation: il leur suffit d'avoir recours à l'internet pour s'exprimer et partager. A vous de choisir.

A very interesting blog by Owen Border: Owen Abroad

Owen Border now lives and work in Ethiopia. His blog makes very interesting reading on many issues (and more) TCA tries to deal with including (sorry to insist) aid transparency. Keep up your good work Owen.

La Commission Européenne publie les frais de déplacement des commissaires

Dans Libération. Quels montants en frais de déplacement (et éventuellement indemnités per diem) dans le cadre de la gestion des programme de lutte anti-tabac en Afrique? 

Philanthrocapitalists need to be transparent

That's what the authors of Philanthrocapitalism say in their blog: "We argue in the book that philanthrocapitalists need to be transparent about their work if they are to be legitimate".

This is precisely what they mention several times in the final chapter of their book. Below are a few quotes.

International Aid Transparency Initiative (funded by the Gates Foundation): Why transparency is so important

Looking for background information about the trends toward more transparency I found the Aidinfo site. They are funded by the Hewlett and Gates foundations.

Admire (again) the graphic warnings of Mauritius and push for a similar development in your country

The pictures are posted on the site of Physicians for a Smoke-free Canada. Rob Cunnigham reminds us that "Mauritius requires picture warnings to cover 60% of the front (in French), and 70% of the back (in English).

Mauritius has the largest sized warnings in Africa, and the second largest picture warnings in the world after Uruguay (80% front, 80% back).

Note that on the pack, the depiction of the warning is done horizontally, while on the front it is vertically."

Kaiser Health News: something that could be achieved for tobacco control in Africa

Kaiser Health News shows the type of information service that could/should be provided for Tobacco control in Africa with the amount of funding provided by the Gates and Bloomberg Foundations. It is unfortunate that until now nothing of the sort has been done except for the Tobacco Control in Africa blog that has not received -yet?- any funding from those two Foundations.

Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Gates Foundation, considers changes in the way it operates. Any consequence for the tobacco control projects?

In an interview with the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Jeff Raikes who is the CEO for the Gates Foundation talked about a few changes he is considering to improve its operations: "They include using communications technology to get “real-time feedback” from grantees, creating an “ombudsman” position within the foundation, and surveying nonprofit groups that have had grant requests rejected."

Uganda: Tobacco control advocates and government officials meet.

ATCRI published this information about a meeting that took place in Uganda on February 9,2010.

Tunisia: ratification of the FCTC

The Chamber of Deputies adopted, on Feburary 9, during a plenary session held under the chairmanship of Speaker Mr. Foued Mebazaa, a draft bill providing for Tunisia’s ratification of the World Health Organization (WHO) convention aiming at fighting against smoking.

Source: Tunisiaonlinenews

Forgive them planet, for they have flown (much too?) frequently

Visiting this blog you probably noticed a significant number of conferences, workshops where many people attend via air travel. Our stand (quite unpopular among many advocates) is to question the real use of many of those meetings and their cost-effectiveness as such travel and hospitality expenses tend go get high quickly (also add the "per diems").

Burkina Faso: Création d'une coalition

Dans le cadre d'une rencontre sur la situation de la mise en œuvre de la CCLAT au Burkina Faso, tenue à Ouagadougou les 03 et 04 février dernier ayant regroupé des représentants de la société civile, il a été proposé la création d'une coalition.

Source: Information transmise par Mohamed Sidi

Gates Foundation fights smoking in Africa

It is the title of a short post in Philanthropy Today that refers to yesterday's article in the Seattle Times. it also mentions the previous $10 million grant to WHO.

Le Réseau Technologie pour la Transparence peut-il aussi s'intéresser aux Fondations?

Global Voices lance le Réseau Technologie pour la Transparence avec pour prémisses que les outils de l'internet peuvent permettre une plus grande transparence dans le fonctionnement des gouvernements et des autres grandes institutions publiques. Et les Fondations? les outils existent pour que les Fondations et les associations qui distribuent et gèrent des millions de dollars le fassent dans la clarté. Cependant, pour le moment elles continuent de préférer le secret et le minimum de communication. Peut-être ce projet pourrait-il déboucher sur de nouvelles habitudes de vraie transparence, bonne gouvernance etc.

Technology for Transparency Network

An interesting project of Global Voices. The technology to promote transparency in the way big and small Foundations and their grantees operate is readily available but they still prefer secrecy. Could the Technology for Transparency Network help promote better/best practices? I have asked them.

Thank you Kristi

Kristi Heim, the Seattle Times journalist who writes the blog The business of giving, gently refers her readers to TCA at the end of her post devoted to the new grants awarded by the Gates Foundation to promote tobacco control in Africa. Thank you Kristi. Our readers know that as much as I admire the generosity of the Gates and Bloomberg Foundations to promote tobacco control I am also very concerned about the way their money is used: I think much more attention should be given to the principles of transparency, good governance, accountability, participation of all, control of travel and hospitality expenses. What lessons (if any) will be learned from the way IDRC managed the first 5.2 million grant?  How will ACS and the Consortium partners integrate those basic principles -or not- in their management remains to be seen.

What about a project similar to the Africa reporting project for the tobacco control program funded by the Gates Foundation?

The Africa Reporting Program funded by the Gates Foundation with the University of Berkeley looks like an interesting model although I think the program for tobacco control could hire more local journalists, in every country and with a detailed deadline and content requirements. Less than 10% of the budget could certainly pay for one journalist per country publishing one article per month. That would be effective communication and advocacy. A French speaking example is Baleki Congo Blog Net, the collective blog open in RDC with the support of the Lille's school of journalism. I am not sure there is any article in French in the Africa Reporting Program. I think each journalist is compensated $50 per post.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) announces it is going to manage the next grant given by the Gates Foundation, along with an African Tobacco Control Consortium

As for now there was no announcement on the site of the Gates Foundation on the pages devoted to tobacco control nor on the Gates notes. Here is the text of the press release from ACS.

Atlanta - February 3, 2010 - The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given a grant of $7 million over five years to the American Cancer Society to manage the African Tobacco Control Consortium, a global coalition of public health-oriented organizations focusing on using addition to the Society, the consortium includes the Africa Tobacco Control Regional Initiative (ATCRI), Africa Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), Framework Convention Alliance (FCA), Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).

ATCRI annonce une nouvelle version de son site web ... mais la partie en français continue de laisser à désirer

Vous trouverez ci-dessous le texte de l'annonce envoyé par Tosin Orogun sur la nouvelle mouture du site ATCRI. On ne peut qu'encourager ATCRI à vouloir améliorer son site mais lorsque nous l'avons visité le lien vers la partie en français était plutôt décevant:
Important Notice

The French version of our website has been temporarily closed for maintenance, and it will be restored soon.

Thanks

Par ailleurs les problèmes quant à la qualité de l'orthographe et de la syntaxe demeurent: pitié pour la langue française. La solution? Embaucher une personne francophone qui se charge de la traduction. Enfin nous n'avons quasiment pas vu de liens vers les sites/blogs des groupes actifs dans les différents pays.