Summaries : gender and tobacco research projects in Brazil

Date

2010

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

HealthBridge Foundation of Canada, Ottawa, ON, CA

Abstract

This research output is an executive summary of 6 Portuguese-language policy-relevant research studies undertaken in Brazil by Brazilian women's organizations. Each study addressed a knowledge gap in gender and tobacco within the Brazilian context, including related to women tobacco growers, vulnerable women smokers, female young offenders, incorporating tobacco into the women's agenda, and tobacco advertising and packaging that targets female youth. Each research team used a methodology that was appropriate to the study being undertaken. The major findings include the following: (i) Women tobacco farmers' low literacy rates and working conditions that violate their human rights highlight the urgency of fo rmulating multi-sectoral public policies that target and reach tobacco growers; (ii) smoking impacts negatively on women's health, quality of life, social relations, and results in emotional, productive and economic damage; (iii) among female youth offenders, the decision to become a smoker was based in large part on an image of "independence" and of a need to belong to a social group; (iv) to engage women's organizations in tobacco control, the tobacco control community must enable them to develop their own intervention programmes, with content and language appropriate to the women's movement; and (v) an effective and efficient anti-smoking campaign for youth should make the threats and effects of smoking more clearly vis ib le in their daily lives, through better advertising and packagi ng regulations. The primary impacts of this research have been the development of recommendations about how to approach tobacco issues with women's organizations and about integrating tobacco control into the feminist agenda. The expected longer-term impact of the research results is a greater awareness of, and support for, gender-sensitive tobacco control policies.

Description

Original report authors: Fernanda Castro Fernandes, Genero, Mulher, Desenvolvimento e A,ao, Instituto Terra, Trabalho e Cidadania, Rede Feminista de Saude, Women's Observatory, and Coletivo Feministax

Keywords

GENDER, WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS, TOBACCO CONTROL, BRAZIL, SMALL RESEARCH GRANTS, CAPACITY BUILDING, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, WOMEN'S HEALTH

Citation

DOI