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.