WHO Disenfranchises the Public from Tobacco Control Conference as Registration Barriers Reach "Insane" Levels
September 22, 2025 by manilatimes.net
WHO Disenfranchises the Public from Tobacco Control Conference as Registration Barriers Reach "Insane" Levels
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) has condemned the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) for deliberately blocking public participation in the upcoming COP11, set for November in Geneva. CAPHRA’s Executive Coordinator, Nancy Loucas, criticised the WHO FCTC for creating an “insane system” of registration, designed to exclude legitimate stakeholders. [...] Such requirements make it impossible for consumer advocates to register, as their advocacy is separate from their professional careers. According to CAPHRA, these barriers reflect a long-standing pattern of exclusion built into the WHO FCTC process.
