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May 14 '25, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Subregional policy dialogue
Can policy measures restricting availability reduce alcohol consumption in young people?
Date
May 14, 2025
Time
15:00 – 16:30, Central Summer European Time
Venue
Zoom webinar
What the virtual event is about
This event explores the urgent issue of alcohol availability and its impact on young people in the WHO African Region. While alcohol consumption is lower overall in the region compared to global levels, those who do drink often do so in high-risk patterns—especially young people. With Africa’s youth population rapidly growing, increasing alcohol use threatens long-term public health, development, and economic stability. The event will focus on how policy and legislative actions—particularly those restricting the physical availability of alcohol—can protect young populations, prevent harm, and support countries in reaching their public health goals. Participants will engage in discussions around local realities, effective interventions, and strategies for reducing alcohol-related harm through stronger control of alcohol access.
Background
Alcohol is a toxic and addictive substance that significantly contributes to disease, injury, and social harm. In the WHO African Region, alcohol consumption is linked to a high burden of disease, with alcohol-related death rates exceeding the global average. Despite fewer people drinking compared to other regions, harmful use patterns—including heavy episodic drinking—are widespread and particularly concerning among men and youth. The region reports the highest prevalence of alcohol use disorders among men globally, with serious consequences for individuals, families, communities, and economies.
Of particular concern is the rising alcohol use among young people, especially young women. Factors such as high physical availability, aggressive marketing, peer pressure, and the normalisation of alcohol use contribute to early and risky drinking behaviors. These patterns are linked to increased rates of gender-based violence, risky sexual behaviour, HIV/AIDS, and impaired educational and mental health outcomes. In fact, alcohol is responsible for a significant proportion of deaths among people aged 25–29 in the region.
Reducing the physical availability of alcohol—by regulating where, when, and to whom alcohol can be sold—is a proven and cost-effective strategy to prevent harm. Evidence shows that measures like enforcing a minimum legal purchase age, limiting outlet density, and restricting late-night sales can reduce violence, accidents, and alcohol use among youth. While many African countries have adopted such measures as part of efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal target 3.5.2, challenges remain, including weak enforcement, illicit sales, and misleading marketing practices.
This event will delve into the real-world challenges and opportunities of applying these policies, offering a platform to share experiences, solutions, and priorities for action.
Purpose
The events seek to bridge evidence-to-policy and explore future actions to reduce alcohol-related harm among young people in the African Region. It invites participants to reflect upon the following questions:
- What availability measures are most feasible and effective for reducing alcohol use among young people, and at what level should they be implemented – national, local?
- How can national and/or local legislation and regulation better reflect the specific risks of alcohol availability for young people, including access through informal and unlicensed sources?
- What mechanisms are needed to ensure that policies restricting alcohol availability are functioning and sustained over time, particularly in the face of changing leadership or limited resources?
Audience
The events targets members of the national parliaments, government, civil society, academia, regional and subregional integration platforms. This may include representatives such as civil society and community-based organizations, officials from the ministry of health working on alcohol programmes, prevention of noncommunicable diseases and mental health; ministry of trade, investment or industry, agencies in charge of standardization, ministries of tourism, ministry of finance, or economics, customs officials, entities responsible for consumer protection, competition or marketing strategies, official of the local authorities issuing licensing permits, licensing board members, representations from other areas, such as the police and judiciary system and road safety and subnational authorities.
Program:
Welcoming – Dr Adelheid Onyango, WHO Regional Office for Africa
Overview of the alcohol-related health burden in Africa and the policy landscape – Dr Fikru Tesfaye, WHO Regional Office for Africa
Alcohol use among young people and the threat to the demographic dividend in Africa – Prof Emeka Dumbili, University College Dublin, Ireland
Spotlight on local evidence
- Licensing, outlet density and availability of alcohol to young people – Dr Ogochukwu W Odeigah, Chrisland University, Nigeria
- Determinants of alcohol use among adolescents in Ghana – Dr Frank Kyei-Arthur, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ghana
- Q&A
Addressing young people alcohol consumption in practice – Panel Discussion and open Q&A with audience participation
Panel will comprise members of parliament, regional civil society representatives, government officials, representatives of youth organisations
Closing remarks – Dr Adelheid Onyango, WHO Regional Office for Africa