Movendi International advocacy priorities archive from the regional committee meetings of the World Health organization – to ensure alcohol policy becomes the priority it should across the public health areas that alcohol harm impacts.
- Regional Committee Meeting for the WHO African region (WHO AFRO RC73), 2023,
- Regional Committee Meeting for the WHO African region (WHO AFRO RC72), 2022, and
- Regional Committee Meeting for the WHO European region (WHO EURO RC72), 2022.
Advocacy priorities, key messages, and background information to take action for the adoption of the new WHO African region alcohol policy framework at WHO AFRO RC73
The Seventy-thirs session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa is held in hybrid format in Gaborone, Botswana, from August 29 to September 01, 2023.
During WHO AFRO RC73, health ministers and high-level delegates of the … Member States of the WHO African Region, as well as representatives of partner organizations and civil society, including Movendi International, will gather in Gaborone, Botswana, or connect virtually for the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC73), to deliberate and decide on critical public health issues, including a new Alcohol Policy Framework for the African region.
Alcohol policy will be on the agenda of WHO AFRO RC73, after years of Movendi International advocacy to make alcohol policy the priority it should be in the African region and across countries.
Movendi International will address three agenda items
- Agenda item 12: FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL ALCOHOL ACTION PLAN 2022–2030 IN THE WHO AFRICAN REGION (AFR/RC73/8)
- PDF Document with annotations and comments by Movendi International
- Agenda item 13: STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PROTECTION AND RESILIENCE: REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 2023–2030 IN THE WHO AFRICAN REGION (AFR/RC73/9 AND AFR/RC73/WP3)
- Agenda item 18.7: PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECADE OF ACTION FOR ROAD SAFETY IN THE AFRICAN REGION (AFR/RC73/18.7)
Movendi International Advocacy Priorities at WHO AFRO RC73
Movendi International is represented at WHO AFRO RC73 with International Board Members Juliet Namukasa and Labram Musah. We are engaging through bilateral and coalition-driven advocacy.
Our advocacy goals
- To adopt the draft African framework for implementing the global alcohol action plan 2022 – 2030 in the WHO African region.
- To ensure full resourcing of the implementation of the framework for action.
- To support WHO AFRO and member states in adopting a stronger focus on alcohol taxation in the implementation of the framework,
- To ensure inclusion of a solid prevention perspective,
- To promote recognition of civil society and the community and their involvement in the implementation of the framework,
- To support member states and WHO AFRO to replace the flawed concept of “harmful use of alcohol” and replacing it with “harm due to alcohol” or other evidence-based terminology, and to
- To enhance recognition that action is urgently needed in countries of the WHO African region.
Adopt the alcohol policy framework
Movendi International and our members in the African region welcome the African framework for implementing the global alcohol action plan 2022 – 2030 in the WHO African region.
Movendi International welcomes the new alcohol policy framework for the WHO African region. It is high time WHO Member States in the African region accelerate alcohol policy action to protect their people from alcohol harm.
We recommend and support the adoption of the framework. But we suggest a few critical improvements on the way to the adoption of the framework and in the implementation phase.
We regret the lack of involvement of civil society in developing this framework. Civil society plays an important role to achieve full implementation of the framework.
Movendi International supports many key elements of the new framework
- The clear statements on alcohol industry interference and on the importance of protecting alcohol policy making processes from alcohol industry conflicts of interest;
- The expressed concern about children and youth and the need to protect African children and young people from alcohol industry practices;
- The objectives of the framework; and
- The priority interventions in the framework, because they reflect the SAFER alcohol policy blue print.
Movendi International welcomes the new alcohol policy framework and we support its adoption.
Movendi International is ready to support and partner with Member States and the Secretariat in developing and implementing high-impact, scientifically proven alcohol policy solutions.
Movendi International official statements
Movendi International will address the WHO AFRO RC73 three times through official statements on three different agenda items:
Statement agenda item 12
Labram Musah, on behalf of Movendi International, will address member states and the WHO Secretariat with a 1-minute statement on the alcohol framework.
Statement agenda item 13
Juliet Namukasa, on behalf of Movendi International, will address member states and the WHO Secretariat with a 1-minute statement on the link between alcohol prevention and community resilience and strengthening.
Statement agenda item 18.7
Labram Musah, on behalf of Movendi International, will address member states and the WHO Secretariat with a 1-minute statement on the link between alcohol policy and road safety.
Our key advocacy messages
The ten years since the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010 must be considered a lost decade for alcohol policy development – especially in the WHO African Region.
In recognising the growing alcohol burden and the lack of progress over the past decade, Member States adopted the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) at the World Health Assembly in May 2022. The GAAP was also backed by an ambitious statement delivered by Kenya on behalf of all African Union member states.
Now, it is time for WHO and countries in the African Region to build on the momentum and accelerate action on alcohol in sub-Saharan Africa.
We are deeply concerned about the growing health and social inequalities affecting especially vulnerable groups: the unborn child, youth, African people currently consuming alcohol, women and others.
The practices of the alcohol industry in the African region are of major concern. In a carefully curated Alcohol Issues Special Feature Movendi International reported on Africa’s alcohol burden – providing unique resources to understand how alcohol companies fuel harm and hinder sustainable development in Africa – and what can be done about it.
We call for
- Stronger focus on alcohol taxation,
- Inclusion of a solid prevention perspective,
- Recognition of civil society and the community and their involvement in the implementation of the framework,
- Doing away with flawed concept of “harmful use of alcohol” and replacing it with “harm due to alcohol”, and
- Clear recognition that action is urgently needed in countries of the WHO African region.
On 1: Stronger focus on alcohol taxation
Alcohol taxation is the single most cost-effective alcohol policy solution. Countries such as Ghana and Lesotho have recently increased alcohol taxes. Botswana shows a best practice approach to raising alcohol taxes in order to reduce alcohol harm (HIV/ AIDS and road traffic crashes) and increase government revenue.
The framework addresses the importance of alcohol taxation implementation in African countries only superficially. WHO and World Bank data shows the importance of public health oriented alcohol taxes. All African countries will benefit from such alcohol taxation systems – for health and development, for equity, and for domestic resource mobilization.
On 2: Inclusion of a solid prevention perspective
Alcohol harm causes high costs and a heavy burden on African societies. The total alcohol consumption in African societies needs to be reduced as well as the initiation and onset of alcohol use among current abstainers and the young population need to be prevented.
It is essential to avoid individualizing the alcohol problem and to address its root causes through population-level measures.
This prevention perspective at the population level is only superficially covered in the framework. All African countries will benefit from a population-level approach to the alcohol burden they are facing.
On 3: Recognition of civil society and the community and their involvement in the implementation of the framework
Movendi International regrets the lack of involvement of civil society in drafting and developing the alcohol framework. This would have mattered for the quality of the draft framework as well as for ownership to facilitate civil society support for full implementation of the framework. Civil society, NGOs, and community-based organizations play an important role in ensuring full implementation of the framework – by supporting governments and WHO country offices, by contributing strategic actions and technical expertise, by mobilizing multi-sectoral partnerships, by documenting, exposing, and neutralizing alcohol industry interference, and by ensuring accountability.
On 4: Doing away with flawed concept of “harmful use of alcohol” and replacing it with “harm due to alcohol”
Science has shown clearly and unmistakeably that there is no healthy or safe alcohol use – concerning cancer, cardiovascular disease, mental health conditions, and brain conditions.
In early 2023 WHO issued a statement in the Lancet medical journal explaining the science and doing away with the flawed concept of “harmful use of alcohol”.
In September 2022, while adopting the alcohol framework for the WHO European region, Member States agreed to do away with the flawed concept of “harmful use of alcohol”.
Movendi International support Member States in the WHO African region to follow these examples and employ evidence-based, accurate language to discuss alcohol harm and alcohol policy.
There are several reasons why “harmful use of alcohol” is a flawed concept:
- It misrepresents the current state of science of the harm and risks from low-dose alcohol use;
- It misrepresents the current state of science of the harm and risks from second-hand effects from alcohol use, including small amounts of alcohol intake;
- It frames alcohol use incorrectly as harmful and harmless; and
- It activates a dominant frame used by the alcohol industry – “responsible” alcohol use, which is problematic because this frame blames individuals for alcohol harm.
WHO and member states in the African region should stop using such a flawed concept. Instead we should all replace it with terms such as “harm due to alcohol”, harm caused by alcohol, alcohol harm, harm linked to alcohol, harm caused by the products and practices of alcohol companies, etc. Such concepts are more accurate and more understandable by people and communities.
On 5: Clear recognition that action is urgently needed in countries of the WHO African region.
The draft framework on alcohol contains many important elements (see below). Movendi International supports the framework and its strong elements.
But we are missing a clear clarion call for urgent and ambitious action on alcohol harm as a major health, development, and economic obstacle in African countries.
Alcohol affects 14 of 17 SDGs negatively. It hinders progress in all dimensions of sustainable development. Alcohol harm means African societies are losing vast resources, from human potential, health system capacity, community resilience, food and water security, to economic growth.
Action on alcohol harm means that African countries actualize the potential for progress across multiple SDGs, including poverty eradication, gender equality progress, quality education, health, safety, and economic productivity.
The heavy alcohol burden in Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a region with weak alcohol policies, high proportions of abstainers and heavy episodic alcohol use (among alcohol consumers). The African region is a target for market expansion by multinational alcohol companies, trying to convert young Africans to (heavy) alcohol users.
Nevertheless, the African region has seen a lost decade for action on alcohol, since the adoption of the regional framework.
- Without action, Africa could see an increase in both the absolute number and proportion of people consuming alcohol, the amount consumed per capita and heavy episodic alcohol use.
- Africa already has highest the aged-standardized alcohol burden compared to all other WHO regions. This is due to the large burden of attributable disease caused by tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases and injuries.
Scientific analysis illustrates the case for urgent and ambitious alcohol policy action:
- Alcohol is the second largest risk factor for disease burden in the age group 10-24 years. Alcohol is the largest risk factor for disease burden in the group 25-49 years.
- Modelling forecasts that global targets to reduce alcohol use and harm will not be met.
- Per-capita consumption of alcohol and alcohol-related disease burden have increased in Central Africa but stabilised or reduced in other regions, although they are still high.
The African Region has a high level of lifetime alcohol abstainers (57.5%). But Member States are not doing enough to protect the African people from alcohol initiation.
How alcohol companies fuel harm and hinder sustainable development in Africa
Alcohol producers have continued their aggressive marketing and policy interference activities, some of which have been highlighted and, in a few instances, resisted by civil society and public health advocates, particularly in southern Africa.
- People who consume alcohol use high volumes. This has serious negative effects to the users themselves and it creates massive second-hand harm to families, communities and overall society.
- The adult per capita alcohol use decreased by 24% from 6.3 litres in 2016 to 4.8 litres in 2019. But alarmingly, alcohol consumption among users increased from 17.2 L in 2010 to 18.4 L in 2016. This is because of the overall lack of implementation of comprehensive alcohol policy solutions, especially concerning the lack of implementation of the alcohol policy best buys in Africa.
Movendi International welcomes the decline in alcohol use but cautions that this has not been driven by alcohol policy implementation but by other factors. The figures about rising alcohol use among alcohol users are alarming.
These are some of the latest examples:
Need for comprehensive, ambitious, and evidence-based alcohol policy action in African countries
In high income countries alcohol use is the second fasted growing risk factor and in LMICs alcohol is the fourth fastest rising risk factor for the global disease burden.
Alcohol is the largest risk factor for disease burden in the group 25-49 years.
Africa is the region with the youngest population in the world. WHO Member States are not doing enough to protect young people from alcohol harm fueled by alcohol companies.
- Almost a quarter of young Africans between the ages of 15 and 19 consume alcohol. This early initiation spells serious risk of health, social, and economic harm and costs for African societies.
- More than half of all young alcohol users engage in heavy episodic (or binge) alcohol consumption. This is alarming because consequences such as injury, trauma, violence, road traffic crashes, and others are harming overall development.
- It is estimated that 10% of women of reproductive age – 15 to 49 years – in the African Region drink alcohol and 3% are heavy episodic alcohol users. The prevalence of foetal alcohol syndrome in the African Region is 14.8 per 10,000 population.
Most African countries have implemented alcohol tax policies, but they have seldom adopted other World Health Organization ‘best buys’ for cost-effective alcohol policy solutions.
Many countries in the WHO African region have minimal alcohol policy solutions in place.
Some, such as Botswana, Ghana, or Lesotho, have successfully implemented stringent tax policies to address alcohol harm.
Alcohol affordability
- Most countries implement alcohol excise taxes but few use such taxes as a public health policy to reduce consumption.
- Less than half use price strategies such as adjusting taxes to keep up with inflation and income levels, imposing minimum pricing policies, or banning selling below cost or volume discounts.
All this shows that progress has been insufficient!
We remain alarmed by the slow pace of implementation of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy by Member States.
The region is facing the results of a lost decade for action on alcohol – since the adoption of the regional framework in 2010. Therefore, more ambitious, urgent action is needed, tackling concrete challenges in the region.
The three biggest challenges for protecting Africans from alcohol harm
- Alcohol industry practices that undermine governments’ tax revenue and extract resources from African countries while leaving them with high costs and without adequate funding to deal with the harm caused by alcohol companies
- Alcohol industry practices that increase alcohol availability, especially online retail and on-demand delivery of alcohol
- Alcohol industry that promote the acceptability of alcohol, especially through aggressive marketing that exposes children and youth to alcohol promotions, that targets women, and that seeks to convert alcohol abstainers to alcohol users
Movendi International supports
- The clear statements on alcohol industry interference and on protecting alcohol policy making processes from alcohol industry interference
- We also agree with the concern about children and youth and the need to protect them from alcohol industry practices
- The vision, if “harmful use of alcohol” is changed
- The objectives
- The targets, but note that they are modest and do not reflect the urgency with which action is needed
- Guiding principles, but we suggest critical improvements
- Priority interventions, as the reflect the SAFER alcohol policy blue print
We suggest to improve
- The vision of the framework.
- Focus on DUI and SBIT overshadows the need to advance the three alcohol policy best buys, and especially alcohol taxation. This matters for making progress quickly and setting African countries on track towards the targets.
Advocacy priorities, key messages, facts, and background information to take action for improved alcohol policy at WHO AFRO RC72
The Seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa is held in hybrid format in Lomé, Togo, from August 22 to 26, 2022, under Special procedures for the conduct of the hybrid session of the Regional Committee for Africa.
During WHO AFRO RC72, public health leaders from around the WHO African Region will convene to deliberate and decide on critical public health issues.
On the agenda of WHO AFRO RC72 are issues, such as:
- Agenda item 6: Annual report of the Regional Director on the work of WHO in the African Region,
- Agenda item 7: PEN-Plus – A regional strategy to address severe noncommunicable diseases at first-level referral health facilities, and
- Agenda item 8: Framework to strengthen the implementation of the comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030 in the WHO African Region.
Make alcohol policy the priority it should be in the WHO African Region
Movendi International is represented at WHA75 and engaging through bilateral and coalition-driven advocacy.
Movendi International will be calling on WHO Member States and the WHO Secretariat for the African Region to finally make alcohol policy the priority it should be and to keep public health action on alcohol, front and center in the period until 2030.
Is alcohol policy on the agenda?
(Yes) and no!
Alcohol policy is not on the agenda of the 2022 regional committee meeting for WHO in the African region. Despite the heavy and growing alcohol burden – further exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and increasingly aggressive alcohol industry practices – alcohol harm continues to be omitted from special consideration as stand alone agenda item.
- Alcohol harm is included in agenda item 8, where Member States will discuss the Framework to strengthen the implementation of the comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030 in the WHO African Region (Document AFR/RC72/5)
- Leaving a glaring gap, the role of alcohol in creating the burden of severe NCDs is not addressed under agenda item 7 dealing with PEN-Plus – A regional strategy to address severe noncommunicable diseases at first-level referral health facilities (Document AFR/RC72/4 and
Document AFR/RC72/WP2). - And alcohol policy has bee omitted from the report of the Regional Director under agenda item 6 “Annual report of the Regional Director on the work of WHO in the African Region (Document AFR/RC72/3)”. This shows that alcohol policy does yet not receive the political attention commensurate with the burden alcohol harm places on people, communities, and societies in the African region.
Our advocacy goals
- To make alcohol policy the priority it should be – meaning to ensure alcohol policy will be on the agenda of the WHO AFRO Regional Committee in the future;
- To mainstream alcohol policy considerations in all relevant policy discussions (where they are currently absent) – such as severe NCDs, resilient health systems, health emergencies, and women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health.
- To partner with governments and WHO AFRO to help advance evidence-based, high-impact alcohol policy solutions, especially alcohol taxation and the other best buys.
Our official statements
Movendi International, through its Official Relationship Status with the WHO, will address the WHO AFRO RC72 through three statements.
Statement agenda item 6
Annual report of the Regional Director on the work of WHO in the African Region
Our key advocacy messages
The ten years since the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010 must be considered a lost decade for alcohol policy development – especially in the WHO African Region.
In recognising the growing alcohol burden and the lack of progress over the past decade, Member States adopted the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) at the World Health Assembly in May 2022. The GAAP is also backed by an ambitious statement delivered by Kenya on behalf of all African Union member states.
Now, it is time for WHO and countries in the African Region to build on the momentum and accelerate action on alcohol in sub-Saharan Africa.
Key advocacy proposals
We are concerned about rising alcohol harm in the African region.
We call for urgent action to put alcohol policy on Regional Committee Meeting agenda to facilitate momentum for ambitious alcohol policy efforts to promote health and development.
We call for:
- A new and ambitious framework for alcohol policy in Africa, with regular discussion at the regional committee;
- High-level political commitment to the WHO SAFER initiative; and
- Regional collaboration on cross-border alcohol issues.
We also call for effective mainstreaming of alcohol policy considerations in all relevant policy areas, such as severe NCDs and mental health.
Address alcohol’s contribution to NCDs
We remain concerned about the lack of attention to alcohol as a major driver of severe NCDs. Alcohol is a serious driver of diabetes, cardiomyopathy, and hypertension. The 2020 WHO PEN package recommended that alcohol be addressed in health centers for patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Addressing alcohol’s contribution to severe NCDs
- helps identify and treat co-morbidities in the patient;
- facilitates the promotion of healthy lifestyle; and
- ensures cost-effective use of invested resources in health centers.
We call on Member States and WHO Africa to:
- Invest in addressing alcohol as a major risk factor for severe NCDs;
- Train and empower health centers to address alcohol with their patients; and
- Use alcohol policy interventions to reduce costs and generate funds for the overall response to NCDs.
Address alcohol’s contribution to the mental health burden
The WHO AFRO Secretariat report contains strong analysis of the alcohol burden in Africa and its contribution to mental ill-health.
We share the growing concern about:
- The number of youth in Africa who are consuming alcohol;
- The rising problem of alcohol use disorder due to the pandemic; and
- The rise in per capita alcohol use.
Unfortunately, among the 12 priority actions only one addresses alcohol.
Movendi International calls for a focus on domestic resource mobilization through alcohol taxation. It has a triple-win effect:
- reducing the mental health burden;
- protecting and promoting the health of children and youth; and
- raising domestic resources for mental health services and funding of Universal Health Coverage.
We call on the WHO Regional Office in Africa and governments to make alcohol taxation a priority in the efforts to improve mental health and well-being.
Why alcohol policy action is urgently needed in the African region
Modelling forecasts that global targets to reduce alcohol use and harm will not be met.
Overall, trends in alcohol consumption, alcohol’s contribution to the global burden of disease, and progress towards global targets are all increasing, putting more people and communities at risk of experiencing alcohol harm.
Rising alcohol harm in Africa
Alcohol remains one of the leading risk factors contributing to the global burden of disease. It is the eight leading preventable risk factor of disease. The contribution of alcohol to the global disease burden has been increasing from 2.6% of DALYs* in 1990 to 3.7% of DALYs in 2019.
In high income countries alcohol use is the second fasted growing risk factor and in LMICs – which affects the African region – alcohol is the fourth fastest rising risk factor for the global disease burden.
- Alcohol is the second largest risk factor for disease burden in the age group 10-24 years.
- Alcohol is the largest risk factor for disease burden in the group 25-49 years.
- Since Africa has such a youthful population, alcohol’s disproportionate and growing burden on young people is of grave concern.
- Without action, Africa could see an increase in both the absolute number and proportion of people consuming alcohol, the amount consumed per capita and heavy episodic alcohol use.
Lack of alcohol policy development in Africa
- Most countries, especially low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), have NOT implemented a comprehensive set of alcohol policies.
- No low-income country has reported increasing resources for implementing alcohol policy in the last decade.
- Many countries are failing to implement the alcohol policy best buy solutions, with LMICs more likely to have fewer evidence-based and cost-effective policies.
Alcohol affordability
- 95% of reporting countries implement alcohol excise taxes.
- Few use such taxes as a public health policy to reduce consumption.
- Less than half use price strategies such as adjusting taxes to keep up with inflation and income levels, imposing minimum pricing policies, or banning selling below cost or volume discounts.
Alcohol availability
- Less than one-third of countries have regulations on outlet density and days of alcohol sale.
- Some countries, mainly LMICs in Africa, still have no legal minimum purchase age.
Alcohol marketing
- Most countries have some policies on alcohol advertising.
- Alcohol marketing regulation continues to lag behind technological innovations and e-commerce, including rapidly developing new delivery systems.
- Most of the countries that reported no restrictions across all media types were located in the African or Americas regions.
How alcohol companies fuel harm and hinder sustainable development in Africa and what can be done about it
The African region is home to 16% of the world’s population. Out of this, only 5% are alcohol consumers. Culturally the people in this continent have mostly lived alcohol-free. But now Big Alcohol is manipulating the new cultural revolution in Africa to push more alcohol products on people, and create a demand for alcohol that does not exist, in the relentless push of ever more profits.
Translating commitment into accelerated action
At the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board meeting in February 2020, Member States, called for accelerated action on alcohol as a public health priority. A decision was adopted by unanimous consent (EB 146), requesting the WHO and its director-general to develop an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the WHOs Global Alcohol Strategy as a public health priority.
Since then, WHO has conducted an extensive consultation process lasting two years, to develop the global alcohol action plan to accelerate alcohol policy development and implementation as public health priority – an urgent need according to WHO Member States. The consultation process included global and regional engagements with Member States, one informal meeting and web-based consultation with civil society and academia, and – controversially – also the alcohol industry, despite their fundamental conflict of interest.
Advocacy priorities, key messages, and background information to take action for the adoption of the new alcohol policy framework at WHO EURO RC72
second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe is held in hybrid format in Tel Avivi, Isreal, from September 12 to 14, 2022.
During WHO EURO RC72, health ministers and high-level delegates of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region, as well as representatives of partner organizations and civil society, including Movendi International, will gather in Tel Aviv, Israel, or connect virtually for the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC72), to deliberate and decide on critical public health issues, including a new Alcohol Policy Framework.
Alcohol policy will be on the agenda of WHO EURO RC72, after years of Movendi International advocacy to make alcohol policy the priority it should be.
- Agenda item 10: European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025The framework (EUR/RC72/12): European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025
- The draft decision text (EUR/RC72/CONF./10): Draft decision: European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025
- Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decision to adopt European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025 (EUR/RC72/CONF./10 Add.1):
- Background document (EUR/RC72/BG/4 ): Turning down the alcohol flow. Background document on the European framework for action on alcohol, 2022–2025
- Information sheet (EUR/RC72/BG/14): European framework for action on alcohol, 2022–2025. Information sheet
All documentation can also be accessed via the interactive program: European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025, Documents EUR/RC72/12, EUR/RC72/CONF./10, EUR/RC72/CONF./10 Add.1, EUR/RC72/BG/4, EUR/RC72/BG/14.
Adopt the alcohol policy framework
Movendi International is represented at WHO EURO RC72 and engaging through bilateral and coalition-driven advocacy.
Movendi International will be calling on WHO Member States and the WHO Secretariat for the European Region to adopt the European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025.
Our advocacy goals
Movendi International and our members in the European region welcome the European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025. We endorse the evidence-based language of the Framework. We support the six areas for priority action. They provide a concrete focus on the most cost-effective alcohol policy solutions, while supporting national adaptation in response to local challenges.
- To adopt the draft decision European framework for action on alcohol 2022–2025.
- To ensure full resourcing of the implementation of the framework for action.
- To develop technical guidance for how to protect alcohol policy from alcohol industry interference.
- To strengthen the governance of alcohol policy at regional level.
- To ensure effective mainstreaming of alcohol policy considerations in all relevant policy areas in health and beyond.
Movendi International and our members across the European region are ready to partner with governments and WHO EURO to help advance evidence-based, high-impact alcohol policy solutions, especially alcohol taxation and the other best buys.
Our official statements
Movendi International, through its Official Relationship Status with the WHO, will address the WHO EURO RC72 through two statements.
Statement agenda item 10
Maik Dünnbier, on behalf of Movendi International, will participate in the panel of the dedicated session on the Framework, and deliver a 2-minutes statement.
Joint statement on agenda item 10
Movendi International developed a joint statement, together with 15 other civil society partner organizations. The joint statement will be delivered by Milka Sokolovic, Executive Director of EPHA.
Our key advocacy messages
The ten years since the adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010 must be considered a lost decade for alcohol policy development – especially in the WHO European Region.
In recognising the growing alcohol burden and the lack of progress over the past decade, Member States adopted the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) at the World Health Assembly in May 2022. The GAAP is also backed by an many statements from member states of the WHO European region as well as by an ambitious statement delivered by France on behalf of all European Union member states.
Now, it is time for WHO and countries in the European Region to build on the momentum and accelerate action on alcohol in sub-Saharan Africa.
Key concerns and solution proposals
We are deeply concerned about the growing health inequalities affecting especially vulnerable groups: the unborn child, youth, older people, people on lower incomes, and children of households with alcohol problems.
The practices of the alcohol industry in the European region are of major concern. A recent WHO Europe report detailed how the digital ecosystem is used by alcohol companies to promote alcohol consumption among children, youth, females, and other vulnerable groups. Alcohol industry interference still is a serious obstacle to public health centered alcohol policy action.
We call for urgent action to put alcohol policy on Regional Committee Meeting agenda to facilitate momentum for ambitious alcohol policy efforts to promote health and development.
We call for:
- We urge Member States to adopt the framework.
- To make alcohol policy the priority it should be, we call on Member States and WHO to:
- Adequately resource full implementation of the framework, including at community level,
- Facilitate regular review of progress.
- Develop guidance to protect alcohol policy from industry interference, and
- Strengthen the governance of alcohol policy at regional level.
- We also call for effective mainstreaming of alcohol policy considerations in all relevant policy areas the WHO European Regional Office deals with.
Need for accelerated action to address the heavy alcohol burden in Europe
Alcohol remains one of the leading risk factors contributing to the global burden of disease. It is the eight leading preventable risk factor of disease. The contribution of alcohol to the global disease burden has been increasing from 2.6% of DALYs* in 1990 to 3.7% of DALYs in 2019.
Europe has the highest rates of alcohol consumption per person, the highest prevalence of heavy episodic alcohol use, and the lowest rates of alcohol abstention in the world.
In high income countries alcohol use is the second fasted growing risk factor and in LMICs alcohol is the fourth fastest rising risk factor for the global disease burden.
Why alcohol policy action matters in the European region
- Out of 51 countries in the WHO European Region, only 16 reached the target of a 10% reduction of overall alcohol consumption between 2010-19. But 17 countries saw increases in alcohol use.
- Almost no progress was achieved since 2016 in the implementation of Best Buys alcohol policy solutions.
- Alcohol pricing policies remain the lowest priority in the region, even though they are the single most cost-effective measure.
- A recent landmark study found that introducing a minimum alcohol tax share of 15% for all alcoholic product types according to their alcohol content can prevent 132,906 deaths.
- Alcohol is the largest risk factor for disease burden in the group 25-49 years.
How alcohol companies fuel harm and hinder sustainable development in Europe and what can be done about it
The products and practices of the alcohol industry are causing severe harm to people and communities across the European region.
These are some of the latest examples:
Translating commitment into accelerated action
At the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board meeting in February 2020, Member States, called for accelerated action on alcohol as a public health priority. A decision was adopted by unanimous consent (EB 146), requesting the WHO and its director-general to develop an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the WHOs Global Alcohol Strategy as a public health priority.
Since then, WHO has conducted an extensive consultation process lasting two years, to develop the global alcohol action plan to accelerate alcohol policy development and implementation as public health priority – an urgent need according to WHO Member States. The consultation process included global and regional engagements with Member States, one informal meeting and web-based consultation with civil society and academia, and – controversially – also the alcohol industry, despite their fundamental conflict of interest.