The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has trained women journalists on tobacco taxation and gender mainstreaming in a bid to reduce threats to public health in Kano.
The one-day training brought together members of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) from various media organisations across the state.
CISLAC Executive Director, Mr Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, declared the programme open.
He said the programme was designed to help participants understand the effects of tobacco use and the importance of advocating for stronger tobacco control policies.
He emphasised the critical role of NAWOJ in creating awareness by amplifying their voices to demand inclusivity in tax policies in Nigeria.
Musa-Rafsanjani noted that over the years, CISLAC had been implementing a project on tobacco tax advocacy in Nigeria, adding that the partnership with NAWOJ would yield more positive results.
“Tobacco consumption is rampant among the youths, irrespective of gender, hard drugs and other dangerous substances are mixed with other dangerous items and consumed on daily basis.
“We believe the partnership with women journalists will pave way for more awareness of the menace of tobacco smoking,”he said
He called on parents and guardians to monitor their children and wards to prevent the use of shisha and other tobacco products.
A consultant, Mr Mohammed Murtala, in his paper titled “Health Consequences of Tobacco Use,” noted that smoking tobacco exposed the body to a lethal mixture of over 7,000 toxic chemicals, which could damage every organ in the human body.
“Tobacco use leads to cancer, heart diseases and other health issues. It kills over 8 million people annually with more than 1.2 million deaths caused by second-hand smoke.”
According to him, smoking is influenced by a combination of personal, social, economic and environmental factors that require multilayered and effective intervention.
Another Consultant, Solomon Adoga, spoke on “Understanding Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 6 and Nigeria’s Tobacco Tax and Gender Bias.”
Adoga noted that women were exposed to more tobacco-induced diseases than men, such as breast and cervical cancer as well as maternal exposures.
He pointed out that research indicated an increasing threat posed by tobacco consumption to the health of girls and women in low- and middle-income countries.
The NAWOJ Chairperson Kano State Chapter, Bahijja Malam Kabara, commended CISLAC for organising the event and promised to step down the training to others.
She noted that female journalists in Kano state would use their various platforms to advocate for gender integration into the tobacco tax policy formulation and implementation.
She emphasised the association’s readiness for continued collaboration with CISLAC and other stakeholders in pushing for gender-sensitive policies that improved the lives of Nigerians.