ADRA Laos - Our Programs - Advocacy

Ready Start Law Project

In 2009 ADRA was successful in supporting the government to pass a new Tobacco Control Law through its highest decision-making body, the National Assembly. However, passing the law is not enough. The country now has the tough job of putting this new law into practice and then implementing it according to the government’s plan and resources. As such, Ready, Start, Law!, will work on two fronts: supporting the government in their implementation, and building public support for the law.

Donors:	Bloomberg, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
Amount:	$178,250 USD
Start:	April 2010
Finish:	September 2011
Location:	Vientiane Capital
Beneficiaries:	Nation-wide: Direct: 1 million people (viewers of national TV campaigns and national radio) Indirect: 6 million - Citizens of Laos through Provincial and national dissemination and affect
Main Objective:	Support the Government and key partners’ capacity to implement the new tobacco control law in its entirety. Raise public awareness of the law and the harmful effects of tobacco use by working closely with the media to foster support for the law.
Main Activities:	ensuring the Law is signed by the president; ensuring tobacco control implementation Guidelines are developed, approved and disseminated to all relevant parties as soon as possible; facilitating dissemination of the law and accompanying workshops at National and Provincial level across the country, including training of implementation and enforcement; facilitating monitoring of law compliance and enforcement national level public awareness campaigns through mass media and event organisation