Everyone in society plays a critical role in accelerating progress on achieving better health for all, and everyone has the right to participate in decision making about what affects them – including their health. The diverse groups in your communities have many shared goals – like better health for all, improved access to healthcare, and environments that make it easier to enjoy clean air, physical activity, nutritious food and safety from the harm of alcohol and tobacco consumption – so this year, let’s join forces in achieving them.

We encourage you to be creative in deciding how to get involved with activities that are relevant and appealing for you and your community, but here are some initial ideas relating to the community engagement theme as well as campaigning in general to help you start planning. You can also find more suggestions for taking action – small or big – on the campaign website. You are welcome to use them, or just get some inspiration!

  • Raise awareness by speaking out against injustice in health and NCDs, supporting your argument with evidence and personal stories.
  • Use traditional and social media to make noise, demand change, and put issues, insights and solutions in front of policymakers. Be inspired by some sample messages in the Social Media Toolkit.  
  • Coordinate civil society action with those representing people left behind, like youth and Indigenous communities, and those working on achieving other Sustainable Development Goals, like those related to human rights, the environment, education and poverty, to cultivate coherent approaches and collaboration.  
  • Team up with legal experts to see how a rights angle could accelerate NCD action. This could involve exploring existing commitments made by governments to rights and equity, and then taking legal measures for failure to meet them.

 

 

 

 

  • Promote the Act on NCDs campaign in your country as per the Act on NCDs Brand Guidelines. We’ve created various resources for you to use in several languages to ensure campaigns everywhere are recognised as being part of the same global movement.
  • Record a video message and share it via social media. Tell the world how NCDs have impacted you and why world leaders must take action now. ‘Vox pop’ interviews are typically succinct, pertinent and powerful, and ideally no more than 60 seconds in length. These can be shared on YouTube, Twitter or Facebook. Contact us if you would like us to consider sharing through NCDA and network channels. If you have some video producing skills, try adding the Act on NCDs logo.
  • Create your own tweet or message for social media, and remember to include #ActOnNCDs. You might like to use the prompt question: “What do you think your government needs to do to improve community engagement in their decisions to Act on NCDs?” or “To Act on NCDs, what does ‘community engagement’ mean to you or your community?"

These are just some of the ways that you and your community could take action to deliver progress on NCDs – however you choose to participate in this year’s Global Week for Action on NCDs, please keep us posted! Along with other updates already available on the campaign website, you can download the 2021 campaign logo in seven languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian and Farsi) for your branding and campaign planning.

In August, the Map of Impact will go live on the website, and you will be able to add your activities for the world to see and join in. The Voices of Change generator will be back soon so you and your networks can share your messages through the campaign website and social media! Stay tuned for more guides, tools and resources as the week approaches – and get planning!  

Together we are stronger! This September, let’s all move towards a world where everyone enjoys equal rights to health.