In this episode, Qali dives into the unfolding mpox outbreaks in Central and West Africa. With new patterns of transmission, rising child mortality, and deep-rooted stigma, frontline responders in DRC and Burundi are rewriting the old playbooks in real time. Join UNICEF SBC experts as they unpack what worked, what fell short, and how communities, digital tools, and gender-aware strategies are shaping the response. This episode unpacks the opportunities taken, missed, and what must be done to prepare better for the next outbreak.

Guests (in order of appearance)

• Vincent Petit, UNICEF SBC Global Lead
• Gaoussou Nabalom, SBC and Risk Communication and Community Engagement Coordinator, UNICEF Burundi
• Norman Muhwezi, former UNICEF OIC Chief of SBC in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Innovation Specialist

Resources

• Risk communication and community engagement for mpox vaccination in eastern DRC
• Mpox, mining, and vulnerabilities of women and children in eastern DRC
• Meeting report: Mpox and discrimination in African settings
• How to achieve and sustain high uptake of mpox vaccination in outbreak settings
• How to Address stigma during mpox response
• Guidance for RCCE practitioners on mpox (ENG and FRA)      
• 5 Tips for CHW and Vaccinators (ENG and FRA)

The views and opinions expressed by the contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of UNICEF or any entities they represent. The content here is for information purposes only.

The ABCs of SBC is hosted by Qali Id and produced and developed by Helena Ballester Bon in partnership with Common Thread.

Check out UNICEF’s latest publication on Social and Behaviour Change, Why don’t you just behave! For more information about UNICEF SBC, check out the programme guidance.

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