Following the 2018 UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on NCDs, civil society faces major challenges in moving the NCD agenda forward, noted NCDA CEO Katie Dain at this week’s General Meeting of the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism for NCDs.

Dain proposed 5 tips to overcoming the obstacles:

1. The civil society movement must stick together – no falling back into constituencies and silos, but maintain a shared agenda;
2. Make more noise. Be less civil; less polite. Broaden the circle of those shouting about NCDs to include civil society focused on women, environment, education, etc., and leverage the broad SDGs agenda;
3. Focus on people, injustice and investment. Invest, invest, invest!
4. Civil society should make its own political opportunities, and jump on the bandwagons offered by other communities and political agendas to ensure that NCDs are on those agendas;
5. Sharpen the focus on accountability. Governments make grand statements and commitments on NCDs and civil society needs to hold their feet to the fire.

"Make more noise. Be less civil; less polite. Broaden the circle of those shouting about NCDs to include civil society focused on women, environment, education, etc., and leverage the broad SDGs agenda." - NCDA CEO Katie Dain

She also shared her takeaways from the HLM on NCDs:

• Governments agreed that they are off track to meet Target 3.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals – to, by 2030 reduce NCD mortality by one-third;
• The NCD agenda has been expanded from 4x4 (diseases and risk factors) to 5x5 with the addition of mental and neurological conditions and air pollution;
• There are no new, substantive time-bound commitments in the HLM’s Political Declaration;
• No major new resources have been invested in NCDs, despite financing remaining the Achilles heel for NCDs;
• Seven years remain till the fourth HLM. This will be the longest timespan between HLMs, which creates a huge challenge in maintaining momentum.