The Ondo State Ministry of Information and Orientation, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has commenced a two-day Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) Capacity Building Meeting for members of the State SBC Committee, aimed at enhancing cross-sectoral interventions for child survival and development.
The training, which runs from Tuesday 25th to Wednesday 26th November 2025, is holding at ICAN House, Alagbaka, Akure, with participants drawn from key ministries, departments and agencies involved in health, nutrition, education, sanitation and child protection.
Declaring the meeting open, Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation expressed appreciation to the committee members for their dedication and emphasised the central role of behaviour change in improving development outcomes.
He said, “as government, we have come to realise that policies and programmes alone are not enough to transform societies. The change we seek must be driven from within, through informed choices, positive attitudes and community ownership.”
Describing the SBC Committee as “the bridge between policy and the people, between strategy and social reality,” the Commissioner stressed that their ability to coordinate, communicate and collaborate across sectors would determine the success of the state’s development interventions.
He added that the programme would “equip members with the knowledge, tools and strategies to design, implement and monitor effective behavioural change interventions,” while appreciating UNICEF for its consistent commitment to the welfare of children and mothers in the state.
“You will recall that the last Social and Behavioural Change Meeting was held earlier in April. It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you again, now as the Commissioner for Information and Orientation,” he noted, urging participants to engage actively in discussions in order to leave the meeting with renewed energy and a clearer path forward.
UNICEF representatives also lauded the Ondo State Government for prioritising child survival and development, noting that SBC strategies remain crucial in changing entrenched social norms and improving adoption of positive health and welfare practices.
The two-day meeting features sessions on behaviour change theories, community engagement, data-driven communication, and development of state-specific SBC action plans for 2026.
Participants expressed optimism that the training would deepen their capacity to deliver impactful cross-sectoral interventions across the state.
