Maternal & Child Health

IPEC+, formed in 2015 by merging ILO's child labor and forced labor programs, is the flagship initiative targeting SDG 8.7 - eradicate child labor by 2025 and forced labor by 2030. Operating in 88+ countries, the program uses a theory of change with four pillars: (1) public policies and governance - better laws and enforcement, (2) partnerships and advocacy - including Alliance 8.7 global partnership, (3) empowerment and protection - bottom-up approaches for vulnerable families, (4) knowledge and data - surveys, tools, and evaluation. World Day Against Child Labour (June 12, since 2002) is a key advocacy moment. Convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved universal ratification by all 187 ILO members in 2020 - the fastest-ratified agreement in ILO history.

The FIA Foundation's Child Health Initiative aims for safe and healthy journeys to school for all children by 2030. The flagship Safe Schools Africa program, in collaboration with Amend, has protected 80,000+ children through infrastructure improvements around 80+ schools in 9 countries. The "Step Change" report highlights that child pedestrians in sub-Saharan Africa face twice the global risk of death/injury. In Nairobi, a $25,000 initiative at Kayole One Primary School installed 400m pedestrian walkway. Vietnam's Safe School Zone Guide, developed with the Ministry of Transport, provides a blueprint for school zones. Mongolia's program with EASST and Asian Development Bank focuses on 20km/h speeds in school areas. The program received the inaugural IRF Excellence in Roads African Award presented by Ghana's President.

Amend's SARSAI program, launched in 2012 in Tanzania and now spanning 9 African countries, is the first road traffic injury prevention program proven to reduce child pedestrian injuries in sub-Saharan Africa. A CDC-evaluated randomized control study (2015-2016) in Dar es Salaam with 13,000+ children found 26% reduction in overall injuries and 58% decrease in head injuries at participating schools. For every 286 children whose school receives SARSAI, one injury is prevented annually. The program combines infrastructure modifications (footpaths, zebra crossings, speed humps, bollards) with behavioral education and community outreach. Over 80 schools in Benin, Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia have benefited, leading to the launch of the scaled "Safe Schools Africa" program with World Bank integration.

Khushi Baby is an Indian nonprofit leveraging AI and digital health platforms to improve maternal and child health outcomes, particularly immunization tracking in rural India. Its Community Health Integrated Platform (CHIP) provides mobile apps for 70,000+ community health workers (ASHAs/ANMs) and AI-powered dashboards for health officials. The platform tracks 800+ health indicators, identifies zero-dose children, and uses geospatial intelligence to map health inequities. Mothers in intervention areas are 1.66 times more likely to have fully immunized infants. The platform has tracked 45+ million beneficiaries across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.

A UNICEF-supported program using female community mobilizers to deliver life-saving health information to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar camps. Mobilizers address sensitive topics like handwashing, malnutrition, and reproductive health in culturally appropriate ways.

Safe Routes to School is a comprehensive US program making walking and biking to school safer through the "5 E's": Engineering (sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic calming), Education (pedestrian safety curricula), Encouragement (Walk to School Days, contests), Enforcement (speed cameras, school zone patrols), and Evaluation. Originally piloted in Marin County, California with NHTSA funding, the program achieved 57% increase in children walking/biking and 29% decrease in car arrivals. Portland's SRTS conducted community walks, installed high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, and flashing beacons. NYC's Vision Zero "Safe Streets, Safe Schools, Safe Kids" implements 20mph School Slow Zones and School Loading Zones. The national Safe Routes Partnership coordinates advocacy and resources.

Jhpiego works with Egypt's Ministry of Health to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes through health worker training, community mobilization, and behavior change communication. Focuses on antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and essential newborn care practices in Upper Egypt governorates.

The largest public health initiative in history, GPEI uses comprehensive communication strategies including community mobilization, interpersonal communication through health workers, and mass media to achieve polio vaccination coverage. The initiative has reduced polio cases by 99.9% since 1988 through sustained behavior change communication.

A multi-country initiative to improve infant and young child feeding practices through strategic behavior change communication. Uses mass media, community-based counseling, and policy advocacy to promote exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and other countries.

Population Services International's comprehensive malaria program uses social marketing and behavior change communication to increase use of insecticide-treated nets, improve care-seeking behavior, and promote preventive treatment. Active across sub-Saharan Africa with proven impact on malaria mortality reduction.

A comprehensive online resource and community of practice for social and behavior change practitioners. Provides evidence-based tools, how-to guides, and resources for designing effective SBC programs across health, environment, and development sectors. Managed by USAID's Breakthrough ACTION project.

The Global Fund invests in behavior change communication as part of comprehensive HIV, TB, and malaria programs. Supports national campaigns for prevention, testing, and treatment adherence across more than 100 countries, with particular focus on key populations and vulnerable groups.

UNHCR Jordan implements comprehensive health communication programs for Syrian refugees and host communities. Uses community health volunteers, mobile clinics, and digital platforms to promote vaccination, maternal health, and mental health services. Reaches over 650,000 registered refugees across camps and urban settings.

Egypt's national campaign to eliminate Hepatitis C, one of the world's most successful mass screening and treatment programs. Combined mass media awareness with community screening drives, treating over 4 million people. Used behavior change communication to reduce stigma and encourage testing.

Tostan's Community Empowerment Program (CEP) uses human rights-based education to facilitate collective abandonment of female genital cutting (FGC) and child marriage across West and East Africa. Since the first public declaration in Malicounda Bambara, Senegal (1997), over 8,830 communities representing 5.5 million people have declared abandonment of FGC and early marriage. The approach emphasizes community-led decision-making through dialogue, storytelling, and cultural learning. In Senegal, FGC prevalence fell by more than half in declaring villages. UNICEF evaluation: only 24% of women in participating villages intended daughters to undergo FGC vs. 44% in non-participating communities. The model is endorsed by the Government of Senegal and integrated into their national FGC abandonment strategy. Benefits extend beyond FGC to democracy, health, literacy, gender equality, and reduced violence.