UNICEF supports Bauchi govt to domesticate SBC strategic communication on nutrition

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria has supported Bauchi State Government, in developing a draft Social Behaviour Change (SBC) Strategic Communication for Nutrition in the State.

The exercise was done through the State Primary Health Care Development Board towards addressing the challenges associated with Malnutrition in the State.

The document, which was adapted from the National Social Behaviour Change (SBC) Strategy for Nutrition, when validated, will seek to trigger behaviour change on nutrition in Bauchi State.

It is driven with mostly, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) , CBOs, FBOs, Professional bodies and Community Resource Groups taken the lead in its implementation.

The development of the draft SBC Strategy document was carried out at a Four Days workshop Organised by UNICEF Bauchi Field Office (BFO) held between 5-9 May 2025.

After the meeting, some of the participants shared their optimism that if properly implemented, the document will impact positively on the nutrition behaviour of the people thereby improving it significantly.

The Four Days workshop session, had the active participation of some Bauchi based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), CBOs, FBOs, Professional bodies, the academia, and representative of some of the State MDAs as well as the Media considered as a significant driver of the programme.

Acting Executive Director of FAcEFAM, Dabis Mwalike said that the document is rich in providing Multisectoral approach to addressing malnutrition through social behavioural change.

She expressed her hope that when implemented, it could translate into improved nutrition status in Bauchi State.

Kamal Ali Bello from Women, Child, Youths, Health and Education Initiative said that the document is all encompassing because of its inclusivity, where all categories of people are being targeted with a view to changing social behavioural change with regards to their nutrition status in Bauchi State.

He said that the document identified not only children and mothers, but also the elderly, aged and persons with disabilities.

Sharing her thoughts about the draft SBC Strategic Communication Plan, Comfort Daniel, Bauchi State Chairperson of Nutrition Society of Nigeria, appreciated UNICEF BFO for bringing together both State and Non State actors for the development of the draft document.

She then called on the Bauchi State Government to fast track the implementation of the new approach to SBC Communication, which she hoped would lead to positive outcomes on Nutrition in the State.

While applauding the outcome of the workshop, the State MNCH Coordinator, Binta Ladan assured that the State will adopt the new SBC Document and implement the new approach to awareness creation on Nutrition offered by the draft document.

Speaking on the sidelines, UNICEF BFO Nutrition officer, Dr. Jackson Martins said that UNICEF is supporting Bauchi State to domesticate the 5 year National Social Behaviour Change SBC strategy for nutrition across the life cycle, that is from birth to elderly.

Jackson Martins also said that it is part of an effort to address the challenges of malnutrition in Nigeria especially in Bauchi State which is having a stunting rate of 61.7 per cent.

He commended the commitment of the participants for their high level participation that brought out the draft document

It is expected that in a few weeks time, the document will be subjected to validation by the participants after which it becomes a working document for the State Nutrition actors.