Oyo, UNICEF convene South-West advocacy meeting on child welfare communication

By Adejayan Gbenga

The Oyo State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has hosted a high-level advocacy and capacity-building meeting with Information Commissioners and senior officials from South-West states to promote child-centred communication and improve the wellbeing of children and women in Nigeria.

The event, held in Ibadan, brought together top representatives from Ministries of Information across the region to develop strategies focused on nutrition, immunization, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), as key pillars for child survival and development.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Babalola, stressed that success must be measured by real-life improvements—such as access to clean water, well-nourished children, and disease prevention.

Babalola emphasized the importance of effective communication in public health interventions, calling for messages that are clear, culturally relevant, and widely disseminated to drive behavioral change at the grassroots level.

He also commended UNICEF for its continued technical support and called on participants to be bold in their ideas, collaborative in their approach, and committed to creating a healthier and more resilient society.

UNICEF’s Chief of Social and Behaviour Change, Mr. Kshitiy Joshi, in his remarks, said the changing global landscape calls for communication strategies that can transform communities and improve lives.

In his welcome address, Mr. Babalola, represented by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Bukola Bakare, reiterated that the goal of the meeting was to ensure every child survives, thrives, and grows in a safe, nurturing environment.

Other participants, including senior officials from Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos, and Ondo states, commended UNICEF’s efforts and called for stronger partnerships to institutionalize child-friendly policies and inclusive public engagement across the region.