Between 2021- 2024, the International Legal Consortium at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids held three hybrid Legal Fellowship Programs for practicing lawyers from around the world designed to enhance their expertise in tobacco control law and policy.
The Legal Fellowship Programs were delivered in association with several partners: The O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University (United States), Kenyatta University School of Law (Kenya), ERSUMA Higher School of Magistracy (Benin), African Tobacco Control Alliance (Togo/Benin) and Le Comité National Contre le Tabagisme (France).
Thirty-one (31) Legal Fellows from the following 22 countries participated in the Fellowship Programs: Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine and Zambia.
Lawyers graduating from the Legal Fellowship Programs have made important contributions to advancing tobacco control law and policy.
The Fellowship Programs' Unique Curriculum
The Legal Fellowship Programs provided a unique opportunity for lawyers to become experienced in tobacco control law and policy through a specially developed curriculum that included:
- In-depth legal training through interactive online content, live webinars with global experts, tutorials and group work.
- Structured professional development through mentorship and observing work practices of lawyers with the International Legal Consortium and the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.
- Research projects, reports and/or legal analyses.
- Assistance in drafting international tobacco control laws and contributing to technical assistance in defensive and proactive tobacco control litigation.
Specific program content included:
- Evidence-based tobacco control policies.
- Legislative drafting and policy development.
- The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), its implementing guidelines and decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC.
- The tobacco industry’s role in creating a global tobacco epidemic and its continued efforts to create new generations of tobacco and nicotine users.
- Litigation to defend against industry challenges and to enforce existing tobacco control laws.
- The alignment with tobacco control and the wider UN treaty system, global NCD objectives and the human rights agenda.
- The roles of the WHO, government and civil society in advancing policy change.
- Communication training for lawyers (for two cohorts of Legal Fellows).
- Translating research and analysis into effective policy and regulatory proposals.
Last updated March 1, 2024