Slovenian ’’NGOs Protect our Health’’ network

In order to promote the role of the thematic network, "NGOs Protect our Health", which serves to prevent the most common risk factors of morbidity and mortality in Slovenia and the EU, EPHA member the Slovenian Coalition for Tobacco Control (SCTC) creatively draws attention to various factors that can lead to non-communicable chronic diseases. To this end, a comic strip, an animation and a video spot are all available on the SCTC website.


Network function and aims

In addition to its regular activities in tobacco control issues, the SCTC also coordinates the ’’NGOs Protect our Health’’ network which currently unites 35 community NGOs in the Republic of Slovenia, representing a wide array of health interests. Its principal function is to educate on preventive care regarding health factors that can be influenced (e.g., smoking, excessive drinking, unbalanced diets, physical inactivity, etc.) in order to improve overall quality of life. To achieve this aim, creative resources have been employed by taking a multimedia approach. The result can be viewed on the SCTC website.

Most importantly, the network strives to forge sustainable links between health protection NGOs, academics, and stakeholders at national and EU levels by stimulating civil dialogue (e.g., through working groups of professionals and members of the public) and putting into place various networking events (e.g. seminars and lectures, round tables, education workshops).

Notably, the network seeks to encourage Slovenian NGOs to professionalise their operating practices – for example, by training and developing staff, and adopting uniform standards – which will strengthen the long-term viability of the sector and enable NGOs to obtain support and realise qualitative results in collaboration with national and supranational administrations.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

SCTC President Mihaela Lovše feels the time is right to create a momentum for strengthening the role of NGOs in the Republic of Slovenia, where the national government encourages active cooperation between the governmental and non-governmental sectors.

In addition to coordinating the network, the SCTC is also a partner in the ACCESS project.

Joint SCTC/EPHA conference

An EPHA-supported conference on 26-27 March 2010 entitled ’’Building Public Health Dialogue and the Role of Health NGOs in the Republic of Slovenia’’, will further highlight the SCTC network’s activities, contribute to capacity building in Slovenia, and the forging of links between stakeholders in Slovenia, Brussels, and selected member countries. The final conference agenda will be published on EPHA’s website in early March, and a post-conference article will summarise the conference in the next newsletter published in early April.

The SCTC website provides more information about the find out more about the SCTC’s regular activities as well as the ’’NGOs Protect our Health’’ network.

EPHA related articles:

- Spotlight on Slovenian Coalition for Tobacco Control (SCTC)
- Tobacco trends in Slovenia
- New Slovenian public health platform: the Slovene Coalition for Public Health
- The Slovenian presidency launches a portal for NGOs

Last modified on March 8 2010.