February 2024 — The Comoros Country Office has played a crucial role in contributing to the development of a national Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategy aimed at driving positive transformations for the well-being of children across the country. Through proactive engagement, the office has partnered with an international SBC consultant to enrich the support provided by UNICEF at pivotal stages of the strategy's evolution.

Endorsed by the Government of Comoros, this cross-sectorial strategy encompasses key sectors including Health and Nutrition, Education, Child Protection, and WASH. Key outcomes of this collaborative effort include the establishment of a multi-sectoral SBC platform, organization of a workshop to sensitize government officials and stakeholders on transitioning from Communication for Development (C4D) to SBC and Human-Centered Design (HCD) methodologies, drafting a strategy spanning from 2024 to 2028, and the creation of a monitoring tool to ensure the effective implementation of planned actions.

This initiative has also provided a platform for observation and analysis, leading to the identification of critical elements that require attention before the strategy's deployment:

• On the Regional Office side, emphasis is placed on ensuring alignment and unified collaboration among key sector representatives to facilitate smooth guidance from the consultant and maintaining communication to align with regional and global priorities.

• Recommendations from the consultant's side underscore the importance of conducting workshops before strategy formulation, reinforcing collaboration through the SBC platform, and establishing clear partnership roles and responsibilities between UNICEF and stakeholders.

• The essential need for robust government ownership, the designation of a lead champion, the development of a structured follow-up calendar with well-defined milestones and frequent progress reviews and defining roles and responsibilities for all parties to address personnel changes are highlighted as critical success factors.

This collaborative effort between UNICEF's Comoros Country Office, the international SBC consultant, and key stakeholders is not only paving the way for a comprehensive SBC strategy but also fostering a culture of partnership, engagement, and shared responsibility to elevate the well-being of children in Comoros.