Challenges of Global Alcohol Policy Developments

FIVS Public Policy Conference7-9 April 2014Brussels, Belgium

Challenges of Global Alcohol Policy Developments

1. New WHO Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors

2. WHO & the Global NCD Agenda

3. Implementation of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy

Significant risks & challenges at the international level

New WHO Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors

Development of new engagement policy mandated in 2011 to take account of changing global public health landscape

Once adopted, new rules of engagement will underpin stakeholder involvement across all sectors and programs at all levels of WHO, could serve as model for other international organizations

Topic highly politicized, no consensus on key issues despite several consultations & debates

Key Issues and Fault Lines

Controversy over:

Different rules for different actors (“civil society” NGOs; private sector; academia; private foundations)

The role of the private sector in policy making & knowledge generation

Timing (“get it right” versus “get it done”)

New WHO Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors

Next Steps

Early

May

•Expected publication of new WHO proposals

14-16

May

•Consideration of proposals by the Program, Budget and Administration Committee of WHO’s Executive Board

19-24

May

•Consideration by the World Health Assembly

WHO & the Global NCD Agenda

UN Declaration on NCD Control (2011)

recognizes & reinforces Global Alcohol Strategy as leading global policy instrument to address harmful drinking

has generated momentum for national and international efforts to address major preventable NCD risk factors, including harmful use of alcohol

has given WHO extensive mandate to work on NCD prevention & established WHO’s role as lead agency / UN system focal point on NCD control

NCD prevention now top WHO priority

Global NCD Agenda – Key Components

As part of new mandate on NCDs, WHO developed:

1. Global NCD Action Plan with indicators and global targets (adopted in 2013)

“Best Buys:” First time global WHO policy document places special emphasis on alcohol pricing, availability and marketing

Alcohol target: 10 % relative reduction in the harmful use of alcohol

Indicators: Total (recorded and unrecorded) alcohol per capita (15+ years old) consumption within a calendar year in liters of pure alcohol

Age-standardized prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents and adults

Alcohol-related morbidity and mortality among adolescents & adults

Global NCD Agenda – Key Components

As part of new mandate on NCDs, WHO developed:

2. Limited Set of Global NCD Action Plan Indicators

For alcohol: Number of countries with an operational policy, strategy or action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol

3. Terms of Reference for Global Coordination Mechanism

Purpose: to facilitate coordination of multistakeholder engagement and action across sectors at all levels; no decisions yet on participation of non-State actors

4. Terms of Reference for UN Inter Agency Task Force

Purpose: to coordinate activities of UN bodies and other IOs in support of NCD control

WHO & Global NCD Agenda – Emerging Trends

1. Growing importance of precautionary principle

Political pressure to act on major lifestyle risk factors in NCDs furthers application of precautionary approach in case of uncertainty (WHO:

“minimize risk, reduce exposure to NCD risk factors such as harmful use of alcohol”)

2. Use of economic expertise (World Bank, OECD) to bolster

“NCD best buys”

More research trying to prove that overall economic gain by interventions on NCD risk factors will outweigh costs

3. Increasing number of joint initiatives / programs with other IOs on NCD control

WHO & the Global NCD AgendaNext Milestones

•Formal Member State meeting to conclude work on terms of reference for Global Coordination Mechanism

23-25 April

•Envisaged adoption at WHA of terms of reference for Global Coordination Mechanism and Global NCD Action Plan Indicators

19-24 May

•Expected negotiations on “outcome document” for UN assessment of NCD control

June

•Expected adoption of terms of reference for UN Task Force on NCD control

•UN assessment of NCD control

July

Implementation of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy

WHO Priority Areas for Global Action

1. Advocacy and partnership

2. Technical support and capacity building

3. Production and dissemination of knowledge

1. Advocacy and partnership

WHO has established global network of national counterparts (first meeting in February 2011, next meeting 12-14 May 2014)

WHO co-hosted Global Alcohol Policy Conferences in 2012 and 2013, plans to co-host next one in 2015

Conferences have resulted in declarations and endorsements of restrictive policy positions being used in NGO advocacy

2. Technical support & capacity building

Publication in May 2014 of technical and training tools in 10 areas for alcohol policy development

Direct technical support to selected countries; focus on African Region

E-health project portals in four pilot countries (Belarus, Brazil, India and Mexico)

3. Production & dissemination of knowledge

Ongoing Research

- Global prevalence study on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

- International study "Harm to others“

- International research project on alcohol and infectious diseases

Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health

- Based primarily on data from the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health

- Contains country profiles for WHO Member States

- Last edition launched in 2011, next edition will be published in May 2014

Conclusions

New WHO engagement policy with non-State actors will determine nature of WHO’s future relationship with the alcohol industry

NCD control now top priority at WHO; 2014 UN review / assessment could reinforce NCD “best buys”

Calls for more ambitious global policy instrument in first phase of Global Alcohol Strategy implementation