June 2024 — Through a combination of foundational work and meticulous implementation, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) successfully positioned Social and Community Listening (SCL) as a core Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) tool within the ESAR, developed a cutting-edge SCL strategy that set a new standard within the organization and imparted essential SCL training that paved the way for further growth and development. UNICEF ESARO’s relentless pursuit of credibility and engagement was exemplified through the pioneering conduct of UNICEF's first SCL validation survey, emphasizing the crucial role of community perspectives in shaping impactful reports, and fostering leadership involvement in the dissemination of SCL data. Furthermore, strategic initiatives extended to providing crucial support to diverse country offices in crafting tailored SCL strategies, advocating for the recruitment of specialized SCL personnel, and sharing technical expertise for seamless implementation. As a result of our concerted efforts, the investments made in SCL across the ESAR region have not only catalyzed localized actions but also laid the groundwork for broader global and regional SCL advancements, solidifying our position as pioneers in the field and driving sustainable change at every level.

In evaluating lessons learned from recent endeavors, several challenges and opportunities have surfaced. 

Challenges

• Gap in tracing actions resulting from SCL insights, there is a need for better mechanisms to track impact.

• Dashboards are not being utilized effectively after the initial launch.

• Regional reports may not cater to the specific needs of country teams.

• Field-level SBC data is not easily accessible, creating a regional repository of CO-level data can be a powerful SBC resource.

• High diversity of linguistic and cultural nuances in ESAR poses data interpretation challenges.

Opportunities

• Demand for SCL in CO and Gov. teams reflects interest in community-centric approaches.

• Encouraging local capacity will lead to better insights and sustainable action

• Validation surveys enhance the credibility of insights and encourage more informed actions.

• Focusing SCL reporting at the provincial or district level can yield more relevant and actionable insights.

• SCL can provide insights into various aspects of a program, beyond misinformation alone.

• Online presence of reputable publications and media is an alternative to media monitoring.

RECOMMENDATIONS 

Strategic Development and Integration 

•       At the RO level, merge SCL and digital engagement for greater impact 

•       Develop a self-paced online SCL training course 

•       Continue to implement recommendations from the SCL Strategy 

Collaboration and Community Building 

•       Create a regional SCL community of practice for sharing learnings and innovations. 

•       Establish partnerships and LTAs to enable rapid local SCL implementation. 

•       Plan an online summit to bring together global experts and local practitioners. 

Enhancing Data Quality and Reporting 

•       Develop a pathway to standardize and digitize call center data across the region. 

•       Shift from monthly reports to single-country or single-issue reports. 

•       Invest in a case study validating SCL insights through on-ground research.