SMART Advocacy: Key Strategy For Promoting RMNCAH, PHC Systems – CSO’s Media
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)and Journalists across various media organizations, key policy and decisions makers in Kaduna State have been trained on developing and implementing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) advocacy initiatives to advance Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) systems.
The two-day workshop, organized by the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) in collaboration with EngenderHealth consortium partners, gathered CSOs, media, government officials from relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and donor partners to sharpen advocacy skills and prepare them to demand more effective action from government.
Hajiya Habiba Ahmed Aliyu, Acting Director of Family and Community Health Services at the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, warned that adolescent pregnancy remains a pressing concern in the State. with four Local Government Areas recording the highest cases.
She explained that in the north of the state, early child marriage is still common, with girls sometimes married off as young as 12, while in the south, teenage pregnancies are mostly among unmarried adolescents.
Hajiya Habiba noted that “Despite past interventions, funding challenges threaten progress, while gaps in health workforce recruitment and retention remain a major setback.
She assured that Kaduna is currently revitalizing 255 health facilities, with about 147 near completion, and that family planning commodities remain available despite minor shortages of some injectables. Essential maternal and newborn medicines are also being distributed with support from partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UNFPA.
Dr. Anthony Shamang, representing the Gates Foundation, praised CSOs as “the voice of the voiceless” and stressed that their role in holding government accountable is critical. “Unlike government reports that may paint only one side, your perspectives bring out the realities on the ground,” he said.
Bayo Ewuola of Pathfinder International shared the same opinion, noting that universal health coverage cannot be achieved without stronger PHC systems and committed advocates ready to push for accountability.
Oluyemi Abodunrin, Senior Programme Manager for CCSI, facilitated the session on SMART advocacy, breaking it down as a strategy of pursuing realistic short-term wins that build momentum for long-term change.
He explained that the difference between advocacy, social behavior change, and activism must be clear, but all play a role in driving health reforms.