The Human Rights of Children in Tobacco Control

Research demonstrates that tobacco morbidity and mortality disproportionately affects children, especially those living in low socioeconomic conditions. This article presents a systematic analysis of how international and regional human rights regimes may contribute to protecting and promoting specific aspects of child health and development in tobacco control enforcement. It reveals the blind spots and opportunities for a child-development specific rights-based approach to tobacco control. The article then demonstrates both the power and limitations of using international and regional human rights systems in countering the negative effects of tobacco.