HRIDAY-SHAN student representatives are
trained to become active health advocates.
A few successful advocacy campaigns
undertaken by HRIDAY-SHAN activists are:
The
presentation of an appeal, signed by 25,000
school students of Delhi, to the Prime Minister
of India on 12'" September 1998, urging
action for tobacco control marked the formal
launch of SHAN.
Signature Campaigns around
appeals for the protection of youth against
passive smoking and against projection of
tobacco use in films and via fashion.
Sensitizing school, home and
community to stimulate formation of well informed
advocacy groups: TAT (Teachers Against Tobacco),
SAT (Students Against Tobacco) and PAT (Parents
Against Tobacco), to create anti-tobacco norms
and build an environment that is conducive
for enforcing tobacco control legislation.
Since January 2001, HRIDAY-SHAN
students have been organizing community health
awareness programmes named "Hurnne Seekha
Hai" (We have learnt) wherein they disseminate
health related knowledge, gained by them at
school, to the community members through interactive
contact programmes.
Involving 48 schools,
a two-day model Student Parliament on Health
was organized by HRIDAY and SHAN on April
17-18, 2001. Students from classes IX-XII,
representing government and private schools,
replicated the parliamentary process and debated
on various health issues.
HRIDAY-SHAN students
have represented India in several international
health conventions, organized by WHO such
as - Health Jamboree for the South East Asia
Region, Maldives, International Conference
on Environmental Threats to the children:
Hazards and Vulnerability, Bangkok; Alcohol
Marketing in the American Public Health Association
(APHA) Symposium, Philadelphia, USA; and Marketing
and Youth, Italy.
HRIDAY-SHAN
sensitizes the youth, schools and community
by organizing events and supporting the themes
of World Health Day, World No Tobacco Day
and World Environment Day, every year. HRIDAY-SHAN
continues activities on these themes throughout
the year to sustain the impact of these days.
HRIDAY-SHAN
programme has been listed as a 'best practice'
model by World Health Organization and recommended
for global replication by WHO. HRIDAY- SHAN
has been awarded the WHO'S Tobacco Free World
Award for 2002.
Learning
Resources developed by HRIDAY SHAN:
1.
21
Posters on various health themes (Tobacco:
9. Environment: 6, Diet & Nutrition: 4,
Physical Activity: 2 ).
2.
SHAN
Folder - An appeal to the Prime Minister of
India urging action for tobacco control.
