Tobacco Control Project

Project Summary: Y-ACT Tobacco Control Initiative

The Y-ACT Tobacco Control Project, a collaborative endeavor led by a coalition of organizations, prominently featuring the Alliance for Accountability Advocates Zambia (AAAZ), is dedicated to mitigating tobacco use among the youth. This comprehensive initiative revolves around three central tenets: Prevention, Cessation, and Advocacy.

Project Objectives

Prevention: Increase awareness among young people about the dangers of tobacco use through targeted educational programs and outreach efforts.
Advocacy: Collaborate with policymakers to drive the implementation of policies and regulations that effectively reduce tobacco use among the youth demographic.
Community Engagement: Foster active community participation through diverse activities, including community events, ensuring the project’s impact is felt at the grassroots level.
Policy Advocacy: Leverage the expertise of AAAZ in policy advocacy to influence decision-makers and enact measures that contribute to the reduction of tobacco consumption among young people.

Activities

Needs Assessment

A continuous needs assessment is being conducted to assess compliance with the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) and identify reasons for the delay in the tobacco control bill in Zambia. The assessment utilizes Kobotoolbox and questionnaires, involving six enumerators across five provinces. The targeted sample size is 700 participants, with over 400 responses collected so far. The goal is to reach the target by December 6. Currently, no corrective measures are needed, and the team is awaiting the compilation of the needs assessment report.

African Union's high-level session on addressing substance use and related mental health disorders-Side Event

AAAZ, in collaboration with NAC, conducted a panel discussion during the African Union’s High-Level Session, focusing on tobacco control policies and laws concerning drug use among young people. The session aimed to address gaps in these policies in Zambia and Africa. The discussion analyzed questions related to tobacco control, challenges of drug use among youth, existing laws, and efforts made by stakeholders. No corrective measures are currently needed, and the agenda and activity report for the session are attached.

Reflection meeting on the findings of Needs Assessment (AAAZ, Coalition Members and Policy makers, Tobacco association of Zambia and Tobacco Board of Zambia.

Comprehensive dialogue among AAAZ, Coalition Members, Policy makers, Tobacco Association of Zambia, and Tobacco Board of Zambia. Shared insights, collaborative analysis, and informed discussions.

Engagement Meeting with Tobacco Association of Zambia

was a collaborative session organized by the Alliance for Accountability Advocates (AAAZ) as part of their youth-led initiative on tobacco control. The meeting aimed to foster dialogue and cooperation between AAAZ, Coalition Members, Policy makers, and representatives from the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) and Tobacco Board of Zambia.