SLOVENIAN COALITION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND TOBACCO CONTROL (SCTC)
Mihaela Lovše, SCTC Chair Person
m: +386 51 317 113 e: misa.lovse@tobak-zveza.si
Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco control (SCTC) was founded in 2003 in accordance with the Societies Act. It is a legal person in private law and operates within the area of the Republic of Slovenia. SCTC is a voluntary, independent, non-partisan, and non-profit making association of non-governmental organisations (NGO), which promote health in terms of the prevention NCD, specifically we aim to reduce tobacco and alchohol consumption as well as promote a healthy lifestyle and general well being.
SCTC unites almost 20 NGOs in the Republic of Slovenia and is an active member of European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP), the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and the Framework Covention Alliance (FCA), where the SCTC representatives actively participate.
The association cooperates with the European Commission and many other foreign coalitions, which include public health in their work, especially smoking prevention activities.
The association cooperates with Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia, with Slovenian Public Health Institute and CINDI Slovenija.
Main activities:
• Promotion of health through project work
• Implementation of project work that is being co-financed by Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, European Commission, municipalities, Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs
• Membership in the Globalink world network
• Cooperation with national institutions (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, CINDI Slovenia, Public health protection institutes, Universities in the Republic of Slovenia)
• Membership in the CNVOS (National Institute for information and development of NGO)
• Membership in the EUN (European Union of Non-smokers)
• Membership in ENSP (European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention)
• Membership in UICC (International Union against Cancer)
• Membership in FCA (The Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control)
• Cooperation with the international campaigns (»HELP campaign«, »EX-smokers are unstoppable« etc.)
• Active participation with European Comission on the Green book (Green paper) on »Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke«
• Influencing legislation policy on the field of public health
• Connection with the Media
• Participating at the European or World conferences on Tobacco or Health
• Giving lectures on public health at the European and World conferences (transferring good practice models)
• Performing public events (conferences, round tables, charity concerts, public debates etc.)
• Preparing and distributing health education materials, conducting researches and preparing exhibitions
• Coordination of Slovenian NGOs network in the field of health, project “NGOs protect our health” (2009-2015, financed by the EU, European Social Fund)
• Enhancing dialogue with the European Parliament
• Youth camps, sport events, motivation workshops, providing help for students at their seminar work etc. in the field of health promotion.
• Implementing quit smoking courses for youth and adults according to the national programs
• Informing Slovene and foreign public through web pages
• Establishment and development of a supportive environment for information networking, strengthening and participation of the non-governmental organizations in the field of health at the national and EU level (with financial support of European Comission and Ministry of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia)
• Reducing tobacco consumption among Young in Slovenia (2006 -2015) (with Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia – financial support)
• Reducing tobacco consumption among Slovenian inhabitants (2006 – 2016) (with Ministry of Health of the R. of Slovenia – financial support)
• My non-smoking vow (encouraging children not to smoke)
• Clean Lung, Free Hands (smoking cessation programs for young teenagers 15-19 years of age)
• Media campaign promoting the New Slovenian Tobacco legislation (2016)
• Non-Smoking Festival (2015 – 2016)
• Project Yellow Card (the supervision ot the adherance of the Slovenian Tobacco Law with the cooperation of the Slovenian market, health and labour inspectorates)
• Smoking cessation courses (national level)
• Smoking cessation counseling (national level)
• Monthly newsletter (EPHA, ENSP, UICC, FCTC,…)
• Tobacco free workplaces (2005) (with Ministry of Health of the R. of Slovenia – financial support)
• Reducing tobacco consumption in Slovenia with public events and media support (2003, 2004)
• Reducing tobacco consumption among Youth with “Help line” project (connected with HELP campaign “For a life without tobacco” and ENSP; project has got a special aword from the European Comission-2007)
PROJECT “NGO’S PROTECT OUR HEALTH” (2009 – 2015)
( Slovenian Public health NGOs Network )
Project “Non-governmental organizations protect our health” which is joint financed by the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia and is contributing to achieve the mission and strategic goals of the network “Non-governmental organizations protect our health” (unites almost 100 NGOs). It focuses on the following issues and challenges:
– Higher quality and effectiveness of civil dialogue – maximizing the impact of non-governmental organizations, adoption of quality and efficient health policies, strategies, programs and their monitoring
– Strengthening partnerships and coalitions of non-governmental organizations, where as the cross-sectional area suggests topics that are critical for achieving positive change and influence the determinants of health and well-being of the population and society as a whole
– Financial and human resource weakness of non-governmental organizations – strengthen their own capacity and network capacities in the field of health for the successful identification of needs, development of new services for non-governmental organizations in economy and public sector, the consequent strengthening of financial and personnel stability of non-govermental organizations in the field of health, providing greater extent and quality of volunteering in the field of health
– Increasing recognition of the importance of non-govermental organizations in the field of health and other stakeholders.
Main activities of the project:
1. Advocacy and civil dialogue in the filed of public health and environment and natural resources protection
2. Implementation of services for non-govermental organizations
3. Strengthening the role of the network
4. Strengthening the capacity of the network
5. Integration with media, economy, public administration and general public
6. Establishment and managing of Public health NGOs education centre
The most significant achievements of Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control and its Project “NGO’s protect our Health”:
-We prepared draft amendments to the Law on Restriction of Use of Tobacco Products on the basis of which it is forbidden to smoke in all indoor public places and workplaces, including catering establishments. Draft amandments include prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to persons under 18 years, who also are prohibited to sell tobacco products.
-We have successfully cooperated with European Commission and international NGOs in the adoption of European directive on the structure and rates of excise duty applicable to tobacco products.
-We have been active and successful in joining the movement to adopt Revised Tobacco Directive in European Parliament.
– We have prepared a legislation initiative to raise excise duties on tobacco products, which greatly affects the quality of public health. It has been proven that price is an important influence on demanding of tobacco products. The initiative was presented to Ministry of Finance.
-Due to harmonization with European legislation, namely the so-called “Tobacco Directive”, we have also prepared a legislation initiative to regulate electronic cigarettes and legislative initiative drawn up for health warnings to occupy 85% of the front and back of the packaging of tobacco products and to introduce neutral packaging for cigarettes. We have also given a legislative initiative, whose aim is to influence the introduction of a measure of licensing sales and offering tobacco products and alcoholic beverages and to introduce a license fee.
-Introduction of licensing and royalties would not mean merely another cost for sellers of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, but would primarily provide funding for preventive and curative programs and projects that are proven to reduce harm caused by tobacco smoking and drinking alcohol. These legislative initiatives were presented to Ministry of Health.
Current projects:
Reducing the Consumption of Tobacco and Related Products and Alcohol among the Inhabitants of the Republic of Slovenia (2017 – 2019)
In 2018, the European Commission rewarded outstanding initiatives by NGOs which have contributed to a higher level of public health in the EU by working on preventing tobacco use. There were 11 candidate NGOs which were considered for the prize. Our NGO was among the 11 candidate NGOs. The winners of the EU Health Award for NGOs 2018 were announced on 12 November 2018 at the Award Ceremony hosted during the EU Health Policy Platform annual meeting, in presence of EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis.