BACKGROUND: Civil Societies are important partners in tobacco control, especially under the WHO MPOWER framework. Though they are very important players, there is very little work on their role, challenges, and best practices, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as India. This study aims to understand how Civil Societies supplement MPOWER policy implementation, what barriers exist, and provides actionable recommendations on how to integrate Civil Societies' efforts into the NTCP.
METHODS: The current study is a qualitative study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 representatives of NGOs and key tobacco control stakeholders across 15 Indian states and Union Territories. Participants were selected purposively in order to represent diverse views and region-specific inputs. The contribution of NGOs in MPOWER components, the obstacles they face, and the innovative practices used are explored. A thematic analysis was conducted of the verbatim transcript using Atlas.ti and the Socio-Ecological Model with a codebook developed for finding key themes.
RESULTS: Civil societies contribute considerably to all MPOWER components, such as advocacy, grassroots data collection, and community-based cessation services. Examples of best practices include digital advocacies that precisely target specific demographics, multiple stakeholders for laws enforcement, and local initiatives like street plays and community dialogues. Challenges faced were funding is inadequate, resources are limited, laws are weakly enforced, and tobacco corporations find ways to intervene using any legal loopholes, filing complaints, or spreading misinformation. The proposed solutions include increased government cooperation, capacity-building programs, sustainable funding, and strong advocacy to counter industry interference.
CONCLUSIONS: Civil Societies play a crucial role in filling gaps in MPOWER policy implementation by engaging communities, pushing reforms, and supporting cessation efforts. Stronger partnerships, sustainable resources, and industry interference-affecting targeted strategies all are key to maximize the impact. The study provides action-based insights that systematically integrate Civil Societies into national tobacco control programs.