The Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Committee has vowed to make Oyo State pandemic free, even as they pledged their commitments to supporting ongoing efforts through advocacy, policy implementation and community engagements to make the healthy.
The stakeholders at the committee’s quarterly meeting, organized by the Oyo State Government in collaboration with UNICEF, reiterated the urgent need for the enforcement of sanitation laws to combat health issues in the state.
They emphasized the importance of stronger measures to improve hygiene and public health outcomes.
The permanent secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Mr. Rotimi Babalola, urged committee members to intensify advocacy efforts to promote behavioral change across key thematic areas.
He highlighted the negative impacts of health challenges affecting women and children, stressing that these issues were of global concern and required collective action.
Babalola emphasized that behavioral change campaigns should target both rural and urban areas, educating residents on the importance of proper waste disposal and improved sanitation practices.
UNICEF Social and Behavioral Change Specialist, Mrs. Aderonke-Akinwole, explained that the committee serves as a multi-sectoral coordination mechanism responsible for integrating, implementing, and reporting on social behavior change interventions aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of children and adolescents.
She also highlighted the importance of addressing behavioral barriers and shifting harmful social and gender norms that contribute to child deprivation.
Earlier, the director of press and public relations, Mrs. Bukola Bakare, solicited the support of stakeholders in enhancing the well-being of women and children in the state.
“Together, we can move Oyo State forward in promoting and protecting the rights of children and adolescents,” she said.
