July 2023 — Established in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, building on lessons learned around the need for coordination and data-driven, community-centred approaches during Ebola outbreaks, the Collective Service (CS) is a partnership between UNICEF, WHO, IFRC and GOARN at global, regional and country level. In the East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR), a small interagency team led by UNICEF provides coordination and country support around the collection, sharing and utilisation of social and behavioural data for better evidence-based community engagement in public health emergencies and humanitarian crises.

What does the Collective Service (CS) provide?

• Recognised voice for best practice RCCE approaches aligned with UNICEF’s Core Commitments to Children which are inclusive, data-driven and community-centred.

• Support for RCCE coordination and technical excellence through leadership of established and inclusive platforms for regional and country partners including the UNICEF and IFRC co-led RCCE TWG, Media Taskforce and Community Feedback and Social Science SWG.

• Platform for interagency collaboration between UNICEF, WHO and IFRC during preparedness and for rapid predictable coordination at regional level during public health emergencies and humanitarian crises.

• Technical support for development of RCCE tools and guidance for best practice responses on request from country partners across multiple public health emergencies

• Remote or in-person surge support to in-country partners on RCCE coordination and capacity building for development of community feedback mechanisms and rapid social and behavioural data collection and utilisation.

Kindly click here to read more examples of CS support around the EVD Outbreak in Uganda, the Cholera and Cyclone Freddy Response in Malawi, the COVID-19 Response and the Humanitarian Response in ESAR.

The successful model adopted in ESAR should continue to be resourced based on demand from country teams, frequency of outbreaks, existing skills and capacities at country level, and the donor landscape. The ESAR team will develop a clear funding strategy outlining their resourcing needs for the next 12-24 months along with a donor mapping for potential engagement. Partnerships and resourcing teams within each of the 3 organizations will be engaged to help identify potential funding opportunities in the pipeline which may be strengthened by an inter-agency RCCE component.

Case studies, blog posts, research papers, news articles and communication pieces will continue to be developed and disseminated through key networks to demonstrate achievements coming from the Collective Service. There will be an increased effort to shape these to non-RCCE audiences, including senior management.