Intensive legal training and capacity-building workshop for law and noncommunicable diseases

30 May–3 June 2016, Moscow, Russian Federation 

WHO considers the use of law as a powerful policy tool for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Notably, the introduction of appropriate legislation is central to achieving the vision of a tobacco-free Europe, reducing the harmful use of alcohol and for the promotion of healthy diets – three of the leading modifiable risk factors for NCDs.  It is also recognized that legislation in other areas – such as international trade or agriculture – can have an impact on successful development and implementation of effective public health policy, and should be taken into account.

To address this need, the WHO Regional Office for Europe will run an intensive legal training and capacity-building workshop for a small group of Member States from the WHO European Region, together with the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer and the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. The training is organized by the WHO Regional Office for Europe in the context of the Project on the Prevention and Control of NCDs, financed through a voluntary contribution of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The training will target policy-makers and government lawyers working in public health as well as trade and/or the economy.

The objectives of the training are to:

• Consider effective policy options and legal approaches to address tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy diets/obesity
• Analyze relevant international and regional health, trade and investment instruments and processes and consider their implications for reducing the burden of NCDs through legal approaches
• Identify ways to achieve effective multi-sectoral collaboration and improve policy coherence for NCD prevention, notably between health and trade
• Establish and deepen professional capacity and networks for making progress on reducing the burden of NCDs 
• Formulate practical steps towards reducing the burden of NCDs in participating countries and/or regionally through legal approaches within the context of broader global governance themes and processes.