Women's group takes up anti-smoking cause

Women's group takes up anti-smoking cause

By Stevie Emilia

JAKARTA (JP): We have heard of a number of movements to fight for or defend women's rights, ranging from women against violence, women for justice, to women for reproductive rights and women for the reinterpretation of Islamic laws.

Now Indonesia can add one more to the list: The Indonesian Women Against Tobacco or WITT for short.

But why tobacco?

"If we look at the number of smoking women now, I believe the number will increase in the coming years," Tuti Nusandari Roosdiono, the chairperson of the movement, said.

Tuti, an activist and mother of two who spends her spare time painting, said her organization is not only seeking to protect women against the ills of tobacco, but also the country's teenagers, who seem to be the prime target of big-money cigarette companies.

Indonesia can take some little comfort in the fact that only five percent of adult women smoke, according to a 1991 World Health Organization report, compared to a staggering 61 percent of adult men who have picked up the habit. Worldwide, according to the WHO's 1985-1990 survey, 52 percent of adult men and 10 percent of adult women smoked.

"Many women are drawn into smoking because of advertisements displaying beautiful and successful women with cigarettes in their hands," Tuti said.

Usually, they began trying during their teens. But then they became addicted and later found it difficult to quit, she said.

One of the main programs of WITT when it was established last August was to counter the aggressive advertising launched by cigarette producers with an equally aggressive anti-smoking campaign to alert the public in general, and women in particular, of the health hazards of smoking, Tuti said in an interview.

One of the first activities WITT organized was a seminar on Dec. 19 entitled Women's Awareness over Cigarette Problems. The seminar, which drew about 50 people, presented women doctors such as Yetty Sedyawan and Titi Daniati who discussed the health effects of smoking, and Martha Tilaar, owner of a huge cosmetic enterprise, who discussed the impact of smoking on women's beauty.

Soon, the group plans more activities such as a discussion on health matters, counseling, a film about the effects of smoking on health, and taking out advertisement in mass media.

Tuti said WITT was established to pursue four objectives.

The first is to develop programs to encourage women and teenagers to refrain from ever smoking their first cigarette, and also to make those who had already picked up the habit quit.

The second is to increase the role of women in combating the dangers of smoking or tobacco.

The third is to increase people's awareness -- especially women -- to the dangers of passive smoking.

And fourth is to match aggressive cigarette advertising and promotion with an aggressive information campaign.

Tuti said WITT's approach is persuasion and not force.

"If people want to quit smoking, they can, especially if they realize that smoking affects their health. But, we hope that they don't wait until they get sick to quit smoking," she said.

"We don't hate smokers. On the contrary, we will try to bring smokers together, find out what their problems are, and inform them of the hazards. If they decide to quit later, we feel we have accomplished out job," she said.

"If they continue to smoke, there is nothing we can do. It's their choice," she said, adding that she fully realized the difficulties for smokers to kick the habit.

WITT, which was established as a foundation, is also recruiting women to join in anti-smoking campaigns, Tuti said.

"Women can have a very great roles in the fight against tobacco because they can be more forceful than men when it comes to persuading people to quit smoking," she said.

Tuti has been an activist before setting up WITT. She had been a member of the Indonesian Heart Foundation (YJI) and WITT then was a unit of the foundation.

But in August, at the suggestion of the YJI itself, she decided to found WITT as a separate organization. "This way, we can concentrate more on our anti-smoking campaigns," Tuti said.

WITT is a member of the United States-based International Network for Women Against Tobacco (INWAT) which is represented in 56 other countries.

Barely four months since its founding, WITT has enlisted 100 members.

Granted they are all in Jakarta but WITT has recruited a number of leading public figures who are expected to send across its message effectively to the public. They include businesswoman Dewi Motik, model Enny Sukamto Hehuwat, Bianti Soedradjad Djiwandono (wife of Bank Indonesia governor), Nina Akbar Tanjung (wife of state minister for people's housing), Poppy Hayono Isman (wife of state minister for youths affairs and sports), Mrs. Bustanil Arifin, Mrs. Soepardjo Rustam and Suratmi Purbonegoro.

WITT is open to men although it has not recruited any males yet. "Our organization is not only for women. If men are willing to join, they are welcome. Our membership is free of charge," Tuti said.

She is also under no pretension that her mission will be plain sailing, especially in view of the economic clout that the Indonesian tobacco industry wields. "Many people earn their living from the industry, and even the government is dependent on cigarette money," she said.

Officials estimate that as many as five million Indonesians depend on the tobacco and cigarette industries for their livelihood. About 20 million people are either directly or indirectly dependent on the tobacco industry, if retailing, transportation, advertising and others sectors are considered.

The government also receives in excess of Rp 3 trillion ($1.4 billion) in revenues from cigarette excise taxes each year.