The final Declaration of the annual United Nations conference for NGOs recognises noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as one of the significant health challenges facing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Declaration from the Conference, agreed by 1,600 participants representing over 350 NGOs from more than 70 countries, also called on governments to “respect and implement” international health agreements such as the FCTC.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations recently highlighted the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on women and girls and called on the international community to take action on addressing NCDs and strengthen health systems. In a communiqué issued after a high-level meeting from June 28 to July 2 in New York, ECOSOC’s 54 member countries recognized, “the increasing incidence of NCDs and their impact on women.” They stressed the need for multi-sectoral responses and the integration of cost-effective interventions aimed at combating these diseases.

North Africa program “Smoke-free at Work” initiative On World No Tobacco Day, hundreds of youth from Tunisia and Algeria gathered at one of the many community activism events organized by a handful of Youth Advocacy Leaders, as part of the “Smoke-free at Work” Initiative (or “Travaillons Sans Fumée”, its name in French), to raise awareness around the dangers of secondhand smoke in the workplace.