Improving IYCF Practices through Behavior Change Interventions

Output

Number of individuals receiving behavior change interventions to improve infant and young child feeding practices

This indicator measures how many people take part in activities that promote better feeding practices for infants and young children. Its purpose is to track how widely behavior change efforts are reaching the target population. It helps determine whether the project is effectively encouraging families to adopt healthy feeding behaviors.

Count the number of individuals, without double-counting, who receive behavior change interventions that promote essential infant and young child feeding (IYCF) behaviors, which include the following:

• Exclusive breastfeeding for six months after birth

• Continued breastfeeding until at least age two

• Age-appropriate complementary feeding of children 6-23 months old (including improved dietary diversity and appropriate frequency, amount, and consistency)

• Hygienic preparation and feeding of food to a young child

• Appropriate responsive feeding of young children

“Individuals” counted under this indicator include members of the communities that make up the area of intervention. This should include community and religious leaders, mothers, caregivers, grandmothers, husbands, mother-baby pairs, traditional birth attendants, women of reproductive age with and without children, etc. Individuals should not be counted if the mother or caregiver was solely exposed to a mass media or social media behavior change campaign, such as radio, video, or television messages. However, activities should still use mass communication interventions to reinforce SBC messages. IYCF messages through community drama or community video should only be counted if their caregivers participated in a small group discussion or other interactive activity along with it.

Method:  Routine monitoring

Source:  Monitoring checklist/form, Attendance/registration sheet/records

Who Collects:  Implementing staff

From Whom:  Individual beneficiaries

Frequency of Collection:  Data will be collected on an ongoing/rolling/monthly basis.

Sex: female, male

Avoid double-counting by assigning each participant a unique ID that remains consistent across all activities. For example, create an ID structure that combines personal and geographic elements (e.g., household number + mother’s initials + village code). Record data by event type, date, and participant ID so individuals can be tracked over time. Maintain a master participant list (digital or paper-based) that all project staff update. See document below for an example of a tracking template.