SEATCA‘s programs have contributed to the advancement of the tobacco control movement in Southeast Asia, through its country partners: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
With these country partners, SEATCA works towards supporting progressive policy development, strengthening national tobacco control working groups, generating more local evidence for advancing tobacco control policy, and increasing the number and capacity of tobacco control workers. SEATCA’s network combines representation from the region’s NGOs, researchers and governments. By working with multi-sectorial, local partners the alliance identifies and creates opportunities for effective campaigns and interventions.With the network formed and national partners mobilized, attention is greatly focused on the following:
- the development and passage of Tobacco Control Laws to ban tobacco advertising and promotion
- formulation of effective pictorial warnings on cigarette packages and labels
- expansion of 100 percent smoke-free areas
- increasing tobacco taxes for tobacco control
Promotion and implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is also a priority. SEATCA uses regional workshops to mobilize local partner NGOs to create a region-wide focus on WHO-FCTC issues, and generate international awareness. With SEATCA’s experience and regional capacity, a ripple is created, and continues on to build significant momentum to the regional tobacco control movement-and vice versa.