Smoke Free Local Government and Public Spaces

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Project Title: Advancing Tobacco Control in Chittagong Division through institutionalization of effective enforcement of Tobacco Control Law

Project Summary

To sustain the implementation of TC law it is an urgent need to institutionalize the implementation of TC law by the respective government, local government and non government bodies. So the project will support to strengthen the sustainable implementation and enforcement of TC law through procedural reforms and policy changes within local administrations, local governments, taskforces and authorized officers, inclusion of TC issues in monthly meeting agenda and establishment of focal persons at all levels. The project will facilitate to reinforce the operation, monitoring and reporting mechanism of TC law implementation by concerned administrative authorities at divisional level. YPSA will support to develop a model of tobacco free city in Cox’s Baza. The model tobacco free city will be focused on TAPS ban, restrict tobacco sales through limiting trade licensing by municipality, enforce smoke free provisions at hospitality sector, health sector and government offices in Cox’s Bazar City. The efforts to sustaining the best practices of local government also will contribute to develop a model at Chittagong city corporation level. The project will facilitate local governments to establish enforcement mechanisms of TC law, allocate and utilize local fund by Local governments. Reporting mechanism also will be developed for authorized officers and authorized Officers will be facilitated for lodging litigations against violations of TC laws. Project will contribute to national level advocacy through social media and advocacy campaign. YPSA will implement the project in the Chittagong, Comilla, Cox’s Bazar, Feni and Khagrachari district of Chittagong Division.

Duration: 1^st August 2017 to 31^st October 2018 (Phase 5).

Working Area: Chittagong, Comilla, Feni, Cox’s Bazar and Khagrachari district of Chittagong Division

Supported by: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids & Bloomberg Philanthropies

Purpose of the project and measurable objectives 

Project Purpose:

Strengthen sustainable implementation and enforcement mechanisms for Tobacco Control law in Chittagong Division.

Objectives:

• To facilitate the institutionalization of the implementation of Tobacco Control law at divisional level by local government and local administration
• To Develop a model “Tobacco Free District” in Chittagong Division
• To support the national level tobacco control agenda through policy and media advocacy.

Project Strategies and Activities

Specific Objective 1:	To facilitate the institutionalization of the implementation of Tobacco Control law at divisional level by local government and local administration
Strategy1.1	Facilitate to strength the  monitoring and reporting mechanism of TC law implementation by concerned administrative authorities at divisional and district level
Activity 1.1.1	Develop and share simple reporting and monitoring format on TC program at Divisional and District level
Activity 1.1.2	Arrange advocacy meeting with Divisional Commissioner to incorporate TC issue in the monthly meeting agenda and introduce monthly reporting format at divisional and district level.
Activity 1.1.3	Arrange advocacy meeting with Deputy Commissioners of 5 districts for incorporating TC issue in the District Development Coordination Committee (DDCC) meeting and Upazilla Development Coordination Committee (UDCC) meeting, Introduce reporting format and assigning a focal person at district level.
Activity 1.1.4	Follow up with Divisional commissioner and Deputy commissioners for incorporating TC issue in the monthly meeting agenda, introduce reporting format, assign focal person and conduct mobile courts.
Activity 1.1.5	Follow up with focal point officers at divisional and district level for ensuring coordination, reporting and monitoring mechanism.
Strategy 1.2	Support direct enforcement of laws, operation of mobile courts and effective functioning of taskforce
Activity 1.2.1	Assist tobacco control task forces for implementing the activities as defined by the government through organizing meeting.
Activity 1.2.2	Facilitate taskforce and civil surgeon office to update the reporting format for authorized officers for ensuring the reporting mechanism of TC Law.
Activity 1.2.3	Provide orientation to the authorized officers in 5 districts for ensuring the reporting mechanism on TC Law implementation
Activity 1.2.4	Facilitate to carry out inspection, follow up and filling case against violations of TC laws on smoke free provisions, TAPS ban and GHW provision by authorized officers and conduct mobile courts to ensure the enforcement of the law
Activity 1.2.5	Conduct regular  monitoring for identifying the violation of law and tobacco industry’s tactics in 5 districts in Chittagong division
Strategy 1.3	Strengthen sustainability of Tobacco Control action through mobilize local fund by Local government
Activity 1.3.1	Arrange Advocacy meeting with Local Governments at city corporation and municipality level for allocating budget for implementing tobacco control initiatives
Activity 1.3.2	Develop and share action plan on TC  program for utilizing the allocation of budget by local Governments
Activity 1.3.3	Follow up meeting with Local governments for ensuring the utilization of allocated budget
Specific Objective 2:	To develop a model “Tobacco Free City” in Chittagong Division
Strategy 2.1	Identify and develop a plan for the model tobacco free city in Cox’s Bazar
Activity 2.1.1	Conduct pre and post assessment to know the baseline information on TAPS, tobacco sell center/shops and smoke free provisions at hospitality, health and government offices in Cox’s Bazar city and evaluate the progress.
Activity 2.1.2	Arrange workshop with district administration, civil surgeon office, taskforce and Municipality of Cox’s Bazar district for sharing and finalizing a plan of a Model tobacco free city.
Activity 2.1.3	Support to Implement the plan for developing model tobacco free city through appointing a facilitator in Cox’s Bazar
Strategy 2.2	Sensitize the different stakeholders including government department, health sectors, hospitality sector, business community, municipality, NGOs, media and civil society for taking necessary measure for implementing TC law including the model tobacco free city plan.
Activity 2.2.1	Arrange sensitization meeting with government departments, health sector, hospitality sector, business community, municipality, NGOs, media and civil society for taking necessary measure for implementing TC law.
Activity 2.2.2	Follow up meeting with hospitality sector, health sector, civil surgeon and DC office for generating circular for implementing smoke free provision
Activity 2.2.3	Arrange motivational meeting with tobacco product salesman and other concerned to voluntary remove all tobacco advertisement and to stop tobacco product promotion & sponsorship.
Activity 2.2.4	Meeting with Cox’s Bazar municipality for endorsing memorandum to restrict tobacco sales through limiting trade licensing within the Municipality area
Activity  2.2.5	Orientation for youth leaders on tobacco control law and their responsibility to contribute for developing the model of tobacco free city
Activity  2.2.6	Facilitate the youth leaders to support the implementation of tobacco free city program in Cox’s Bazar
Specific Objective 3:	To support the national level tobacco control agenda through policy and media advocacy.
Strategy 3.1	Contribute at national level advocacy for enforcing TC law, GHW, tobacco tax, TAPS, Tobacco cultivation
Activity 3.1.1	Organize campaign to support national agenda including tobacco tax, GHW, National TC policy, implementation of tobacco surcharge and others TC issue
Activity 3.1.2	Advocacy with Member of Parliaments for issuing DO letters to NBR or Finance Minister for raising tobacco tax in the national budget.
Activity 3.1.3	Observe world No tobacco day at district level
Activity 3.1.4	Participate in national level advocacy organized by NTCC, BI grantees and others
Activity 3.1.5	Publish and Share E-newsletter on the progress of Tobacco control initiatives and violation of law with different stakeholders for draw an attention for enforcing TC law
Activity 3.1.6	Facilitate journalists for publishing news on TC law in the printing media
Activity 3.1.7	Participate in Social media campaign on Tobacco control
Activity 3.1.8	Print and distribute IEC materials like booklets and stickers
Activity 3.1.9	Conduct monthly project coordination meeting
Activity 3.2.10	Program monitoring and evaluation

 

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Project title: Promoting Smoke Free Local Government and Public Spaces in Bangladesh

Duration: 15^th April 2015 to 14^th April 2017 (24 months)

Supported by: Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids & Bloomberg Philanthropies

Project Summary

With the assistance of Campaign for Tobacco free Kids (TFK) YPSA has been implementing a project on “Promoting Smoke Free local Government and Public Spaces in Bangladesh” since April 2009. In the 1^st phase (1^st April 2009 to 31^st March 2011) YPSA introduced a model smoke free guideline for local government in 4 districts in Chittagong division. In the 2^nd phase (1^st April 2011 to 31^st March 2013) YPSA replicated the model smoke free guideline with other local governments of 7 districts in Chittagong division. In the 3^rd phase (15 April 2013 to 14^th April 2015) YPSA has taken initiatives to sustain and institutionalize the effectiveness of smoke free guideline by the local governments through mainstreaming the tobacco and smoking issue as a major issue within local government agenda. YPSA also worked to uphold the principles of FCTC in the policy process.

YPSA within the 4th phase of the project intends to take initiatives to strengthen the comprehensive enforcement of the all aspects of TC Law and Rules by the local administration and law enforcing bodies. The project is providing support to the direct enforcement, operation of mobile courts, effective functioning of taskforce, capacity development of local administration and law enforcing bodies. The project is also facilitating the integration of TC across various government departments and to introduce monitoring and reporting format from local to national level for assessing the progress and ensuring the accountability.

Working area

YPSA is implementing the project in the following 11 districts under Chittagong Division:

1. Chittagong district
2. Comilla districts
3. Cox’s Bazar district
4. Feni district
5. Noakhali district
6. Laksmipur district
7. Brahman Baria district
8. Chandpur district
9. Bandarban district
10. Khagrachari district
11. Rangamati district

 Purpose of the project

To strengthen implementation of Tobacco Control Law and Rules by local administration and law enforcing bodies and institutionalizes the best practices of smoke-free implementation by local government bodies.

Objectives

1. To support the direct comprehensive enforcement of TC Law and Rules through enhancing the capacity and action of local administration and law enforcing bodies
2. To facilitate the Local Government bodies for the sustainability of the best practices through institutionalizing their tobacco control initiatives
3. To build public support for complying the national TC Law and Rules through increasing the knowledge on the law and using the compliance monitoring survey findings
4. To support the national level tobacco control advocacies by collaborating with other relevant tobacco control organizations

Project activities

Objective 1. To support the direct comprehensive enforcement of TC Laws and Rules through enhancing the capacity and action of local administration and law enforcing bodies 

Activities

1. Assist taskforce for implementing the activities as defined by the government through organizing meeting.
2. Follow up with Taskforce for incorporating new members based on reformed taskforce structure E.g. Local government
3. Publish a booklet for the authorized officers, police and magistrate for the effective enforcement of TC Law and Rules.
4. Provide capacity development training on TC Laws and Rules and their functions for authorized officers, police and magistrates
5. Facilitate carrying out the inspections by authorized officers and motivate authorities to conduct frequent mobile courts for enforcing the TC Laws
6. Advocacy with the key departments like education, health, police, local government, Bangladesh Road and Transport Authority (BRTA), Bangladesh Road and Transport Cooperation (BRTC), railway and information for integrating implementation of TC Law into relevant department activities and to generate circulation/decision for implementation of TC Law
7. Monitor the violations of TC Law in 11 districts for providing information to the local administration for enforcing the tobacco control law
8. Media coverage on the violations of TC Law along with adverse impact
9. Meeting with Divisional commissioner and DC of 11 districts for ensuring the enforcement of TC Law and strengthen reporting and monitoring mechanism

Objective 2. To facilitate the Local Government bodies for the sustainability of the best practices through institutionalizing their tobacco control initiatives

Activities

1. Advocacy meeting with the Local Government for increasing the allocation of budget for Tobacco control initiatives in their annual budget and ensure its effective utilization.
2. Advocacy meeting with Local government department in Chittagong division to incorporate SF issue in the monthly reporting format of Local government
3. Follow up with Local government and local government department for ensuring the implementation of TC Law and Rules, utilization of allocated budget and reporting mechanism.

Objective 3. To build public support for complying the national TC Law and Rules through increasing the knowledge on the law and using the compliance monitoring survey findings

Activities

1. Motivational meeting with transport authorities, health facilities, restaurant authorities, education institutions and others for ensuring the compliance of the TC Law
2. Observe World No tobacco day in 11 districts

1. Organize campaign for raising awareness to comply the new TC Law and Rules by the mass people.
2. Publish Tobacco control journal to share best practices on tobacco control initiatives in Bangladesh

5. Telecast program on the harms of tobacco use and TC Law & Rules through community radio.
6. Conduct periodic compliance monitoring and publish report in the media

Objective 4. To support the national level tobacco control advocacies by collaborating with other relevant tobacco control organizations

Activities

1. Contribute to the national level advocacy initiatives through Coordinated work with NTCC and BI partners for pictorial pack warning, tobacco tax, policy for tobacco cultivation and enforcement of TC Law
2. Meeting with MOHFW and MOLGRD&C for taking administrative measures for enforcement of TC Law based on findings from sub-national level