PWD Punjab, TCI Green Star organize seminar on SBCC Strategy and Survey

LAHORE: A seminar on ‘Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Strategy and Survey of Punjab’ was organized in collaboration with the Population Welfare Department Punjab and TCI Green Star, for facilitating collaboration among stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the SBCC strategy.

The chief guest of the seminar was coordinator to Chief Minister for Population welfare Saira Afzal Tarar. Director General Saman Rai was also present on the occasion.

While addressing the seminar, Saira Afzal Tarar said that the objectives of this seminar are to strengthen the knowledge of stakeholders about the role of SBCC in achieving family planning objectives, The MICS survey results and the SBCC strategy have been kept in mind before the relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment in family planning communication, she said, adding: “Analyzing the MICS survey results to set goals and priorities in family planning is the need of the hour.

SBCC aims to change social norms and behaviours by involving community leaders, religious leaders, and civil society organizations. Effective SBCC can increase demand for and uptake of services, improve long-term maintenance of behaviours, and improve health outcomes.“

The speakers at the seminar outline the five stages of C-Planning to support SBCC efforts and provide an overview of the SBCC framework and guiding principles.

By leveraging SBCC, we can promote positive social change and improve health outcomes in Punjab. In this regard, we need to engage community leaders and civil society organizations to promote social change by developing appropriate messaging messages informed by in-depth knowledge of the target audience and encouraging feedback and interaction with the target audience through two-way communication.

Earlier, the Director General Saman Rai in his address said that the seminar aims to remove social norms, misconceptions, and barriers that hinder the adoption of family planning methods.

Recognizing the critical need for a unified Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy, the event will help bring together representatives from the public and private sectors, academic institutions, NGOs, religious leaders, healthcare providers, and the media.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025