PROGGA has been doing media advocacy and policy advocacy in the area of public health since its inception and contributed to amending national tobacco control law in 2013, finalizing tobacco control Rules in 2015, formulating and finalizing health development surcharge policy in 2017, formulating and finalizing trans-fat control regulation in 2021, and increasing tobacco prices and taxes. It has a pool of experienced professionals on advocacy programs and is ready to provide necessary support in terms of organizing advocacy programs, preparing advocacy materials like video documentation, research-based articles, publishing regular newsletters, and project promotional materials. PROGGA regularly trains and sensitizes media personnel to mobilize effective earned media advocacy on public health issues. It works as the secretariat of Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA), a network of about 450 journalists working across the country.
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| Sponsor |
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) |
| Project Timeline |
November 2009-Ongoing |
| Description |
It is a current project of PROGGA passing the 13th phase after its inception in November 2009, and is being funded by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK). PROGGA is determined to consolidate the achievements of the earlier stages; building capacity among some 350 journalists on tobacco control, establishment of Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance, and pioneering of the tobacco control journalism award and tobacco control journalism fellowship to advocacy with media for tobacco control law amendment and tobacco taxation in this third phase. In the initial stage of the project, state-owned body, Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB), accompanied PROGGA. |
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| Sponsor |
Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) |
| Project Timeline |
October 2019-Ongoing |
| Description |
It is an ongoing project of PROGGA started in October 2019, and is being funded by Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), USA. The overall purpose of the ongoing initiative is to build support for prioritizing hypertension treatment/control, and implementation of TFA regulation through sustained traditional media and social media coverage in Bangladesh.
Under the project, PROGGA has trained more than 150 on âTransfat and Heart Healthâ who are now publishing media stories interviewing key stakeholders including Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), which is contributing to foster the process of formulation of TFA regulation in Bangladesh. With support of the project, on November 29, 2021, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) set a strict new trans-fat limit (effect from December 31, 2022) - which stipulate that trans-fat content in fats, oils and foods must not exceed 2% of total fat, making Bangladesh is one of the 40 countries that have adopted trans-fat regulation measures in line with WHO recommendations.
The project has also trained around 200 journalists on âHypertension and Heart Healthâ issues who are now publishing media stories interviewing key stakeholders including Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) Unit of Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) for prioritizing hypertension treatment/ control in Bangladesh.
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| Sponsor |
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) |
| Project Timeline |
May 2023-Ongoing |
| Description |
The project is supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHF). PROGGA is collaborating with NHF in carrying out media advocacy, capacity-building programs for journalists, and social media campaigns for mass awareness in the project. This project has been advocating for the government to implement a policy to phase out drum oil and ensure the quality fortification of edible oils. To achieve the goal, high-level policy advocacy, media advocacy, mass awareness, civil society movement, and mass media campaigns, including social media are being utilized. The journalists who are the key players in media advocacy, are being prepared through capacity-building training programs for effective media advocacy. In addition, sensitization and advocacy to media gatekeepers (editors) is underway to smoothen the continuous flow of media stories. Moreover, a continuous social media campaign is being carried out to create consumer awareness and increase their knowledge. This project, which began in May 2023, will run for a total of three years. |
| Sponsor |
In collaboration with National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh under a contract with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). |
| Project Timeline |
April 2021 - October 2021. |
| Achievements |
Under the assignment, PROGGA developed a communication and advocacy strategy; prepared communication materials and social media contents; held tri-patriate meetings with the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP); and engaged private sectors including edible oil producers, packagers, and restaurant owners through roundtables. |
| Sponsor |
from Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC) |
| Project Timeline |
2018-Ongoing |
| Description |
To assess how the Government of Bangladesh is implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 Guidelines based on the publicly available incidents during the particular year. The findings of the Bangladesh report are included in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index. |
| Achievements |
The latest 2021 index has put forth recommendations for amending tobacco control law to make it more compliant with FCTC, by including a comprehensive ban on tobacco companies' CSR activities, among other issues. It has also made recommendations for the elimination of cigarettes from the list of essential commodities by amending the 1956 Essential Commodities Act, formulation and implementation of a simple tobacco price and tax policy, divestment of the government's share in tobacco companies, finalization of a code-of-conduct for relevant govt. officials in case of interaction with tobacco companies and their representatives, and withdrawal of all incentives provided to tobacco companies along with a ban on investments in tobacco business. The tobacco companies should also be declared ineligible for any government recognition and awards, the study recommends. |
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| Sponsor |
Concern Universal and Concern Worldwide (on behalf of NARRI Consortium Member-National Initiative for Risk Reduction and Response Initiative |
| Project Timeline |
February 2012 |
| Description |
Aired at reviewing and upgrading the existing DRR media toolkit, organizes orientation for selected media personnel on the toolkit through workshops and field visits.
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| Sponsor |
CTFK |
| Project Timeline |
2009 |
| Description |
PROGGA undertook a wide array of activities around the official release of Bangladesh country report of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2009 in December. While the official release of the survey was a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of Bangladesh and the World Health Organization (WHO), PROGGA's initiative was focused on wider communication of the GATS finding through the media and utilization of the GATS data by the tobacco control NGOs. |
| Achievements |
The package of activities, supported by, included a TV talk show 'Road to Democracy' on RTV, a special report on prime-time news of Desh TV and a Training Workshop for selected tobacco control organizations on Effective Utilization of GATS Data for Tobacco Control Advocacy in Bangladesh
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| Sponsor |
Self-funded |
| Project Timeline |
2009 |
| Description |
This was a core self-funded program of PROGGA. The program organized a movement for citizens' monitoring of the election manifesto promises. The main output of the project was a yearly Citizens' Report on the status of implementation of election manifesto based on opinions of the people living all over the country. The Citizens' Report 2009 was formally released in June 2009. |
