Schoolchildren use art to highlight ‘No Smoking’

14 March 2014, Jerusalem – More than 12 000 schoolchildren in the West Bank and Gaza participated in an art contest and online quiz competition to raise awareness about tobacco harm. WHO collaborated with Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµICEF, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA and Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµFPA to support the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health in organizing the competition, which was part of a ‘No Tobacco’ awareness‐raising campaign that includes the right of individuals to be protected from second-hand smoke.

The 40 winners, 2 schoolchildren from government, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµRWA and private schools from each of the 20 districts in Palestine, received a prize of an electronic tablet, provided by WHO to the Ministry of Education.

In Palestine, 9.8% of girls and 32.9% of boys aged 13 to 15 years use tobacco. Globally, tobacco causes 6 million deaths every year, of which 600 000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Only 16% of the world’s population is protected by comprehensive national smoke-free laws.

14 March 2014, Jerusalem – More than 12 000 schoolchildren in the West Bank and Gaza participated in an art contest and online quiz competition to raiseDr Wendy Venter of WHO hands a prize