Channelling the Outrage - Global

Implemented in 2002 by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) of the World Health Organization (WHO), Channelling the Outrage is a two-year campaign that works to combat tobacco use worldwide. The programme involves providing grants to NGOs that plan to advocate for public health policies designed to curb the tobacco epidemic. These projects are expected to support one or more of the campaign's objectives:

• Develop networks between the public sector, civil society, and the private sector, as well as between the north and south, to advocate strong tobacco control policies.
• Stimulate debates among decision makers and the general public on the issue of tobacco control.
• Gain support for a strong Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) from decision makers through regular communication and cooperation.

Main Communication Strategies
Each Regional Office will solicit grants from NGOs of all sizes and scope that focus on issues including youth, women, the environment, development, human rights, consumer issues, legal issues, labour, economy, and the media. In addition, corporate watchdogs and organised crime/smuggling watchdogs will be considered. Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of an NGO's capacity to:

• Inform and update negotiators and policy-makers between sessions in their countries
• Create or build on existing advocacy materials for use by the media, health professionals, and other interested parties that focus on the economic and scientific aspects of tobacco control
• Strengthen linkages between local, national, regional and international NGOs and WHO.

In addition, funding will be provided for a selected number of NGOs to attend the Inter-governmental Negotiating Body on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (INB) and the Inter-Sessional Meetings on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (ISMs). These sessions will serve to provide training and to enable NGOs to share their experiences with others. For example, Channelling the Outrage Sponsors participants will join the Don't Be Duped Workshop; they will be asked to contribute to the "useful practices of NGOs' work in tobacco control at different levels" document to be drafted as an outcome of that convention.

Based on needs of grant recipients, regional and national NGO workshops will be organised to help build the capacity of NGOs. Possible workshop topics include media advocacy, document searching, using economic arguments, and political awareness. Furthermore, participating NGOs will contribute to and receive information products to support campaigns and other activities. CDROMs, web- and e-mail-based learning programmes, internet chat rooms, teleconference virtual classrooms, and other distance learning mechanisms will foster collaboration between NGOs. Web radio may be developed as a means for capacity building and a forum for training and discussions on smoking prevention and cessation, and to exchange testimonials. NGOs will help shape and utilise FCTC political toolkits, which will include economic, media advocacy, and scientific support materials.