Background and objectives:

For the majority of Afghanistan’s population, the objective of reducing child and maternal deaths can be realised if they are empowered with knowledge and skills to improve household care practices so that children and mothers survive. Since almost 90 per cent of childbirths in Afghanistan take place at home, it is critical that behaviour change communication for child and maternal survival be addressed at household level. The Country Programme of Co-operation 2006–2008 between UNICEF and the Government of Afghanistan used communication strategies to induce positive behavioural change at the family and community levels.

• Empowering 200 communities (32,000 families and 224,000 people) by providing different participatory methods in four districts of Jabul saraj, Zinda janp, Daman and Bamyan Markaz.
• Establishing strong linkage between CDCs, village health committees and community health workers networks in all districts.
• Establishing and maintaining a communication system among households, communities and district level to address the health related issues, status, problems and concern to improve health conditions of mothers and children.
• Conducting the Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) Methodology Workshop.
• Forming a team of social mobilisers, a village planner and a district manager for each district.
• Establishing village health committees and village education committees.

Results:
The main results achieved were:

• Conducted coordination meetings with the MOE, MOPH, MRRD and BCC project implementing partners.
• Presented the project goals, objectives, coverage, implementation strategy and approaches to the implementing partners as well as the related ministries during the coordination meetings.
• Developed and shared PLA modules among the partners, and translated to Dari and Pashto languages.
• Selected targeted villages based on required criteria.
• Held orientation and coordination meetings with the local authorities and partners.