Table 2 Descriptions of strategies utilized promote and support EBF, grouped by intensity of male engagement strategy and region

ERD, Uganda

Community-based organizations (CBOs) such as literacy groups and farmers groups formed and discussed maternal and child health and nutrition topics^a; household visits to promote behavior change communication messages, including EBF^b

Village health teams provided breastfeeding advice and information

FH, Mozambique^*

Care Group model, with the majority of community-selected promoters^b male (85%)

GOAL, Ethiopia^*

Community-level promotion of Community Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (CIMCI) and Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCH/N); conducted home visits using Care Group Model^a

HealthRight, Kenya^*

Monthly meetings held with male dominated CBOs and Faith-based Organizations (FBOs) for health topic discussions and dissemination of behavior change communication (BCC) materials with community health workers (CHWs)^a; home visits conducted by CHW for maternal and newborn health education entire family^b

Participated in week-long national promotion campaigns

HKI, Niger^c*

Breastfeeding Support Groups that included men and women^b; created community-based growth promotion teams including at least 1 man to disseminate Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) messages (including EBF) at community events^b

ENA committees also promoted EBF

MCDI, Benin^c*

Targeted EBF behavior change information, education communication (IEC) materials, and radio spot messages towards fathers as household decision-makers^b; men participated in community song festivals and radio contests with key breastfeeding messages^b

BCC and IEC materials for mothers, including radio spots, integrating matrons and mothers-in-law in breastfeeding promotion, VISA (leader) mothers and CHWs promoted messages and were trusted by the community

MTI, Liberia^c*

Household Health Promoters provided home visits and community education sessions^b

Coordinated support for infant and young child feeding at community and facility levels.

MTI, Uganda^*

Community-identified men trained as members of Village Health Teams to deliver health messages through community mobilization activities and IEC materials for project intervention areas^b; men trained as peer educators to deliver weekly early child development modules to parents^b

SC, Malawi^c*

Village Health Committees mobilized “core groups” of women and men to identify barriers to recommended practices and implement local activities related to newborn health^b; trained grandparents, including grandfathers, to give counseling and deliver health education messages on key maternal and newborn health topics, including essential newborn care^b

Home visits to pregnant and postpartum women

WR, Mozambique^*

Formed Care Groups with Pastors/Traditional Healers to share health messages with the community^a

AKF, India^c*

Health education in CBO meetings (e.g., Farmers Groups)^a

HW, India^*

Trained Community Health Teams provided individual family or small group counseling from for fathers, mothers, pregnant women, etc.^b; engaged religious leaders to communicate healthy behavior messages

MC, Tajikistan^*

Trained Community Health Educators and Village Development Committees (composed of local men and women) worked at community level by focusing behavior change and nutrition messaging towards household decision-makers (men and mothers-in-law)^b

Mothers’ Groups/Breastfeeding Support Groups; support for district maternity houses to gain or renew Baby-Friendly status

Project HOPE, Uzbekistan^c*

Trained community leaders to deliver health messages (including EBF) to families during household visits and community events^b; created New Parents’ Schools in community health centers to educate expectant parents on health topics such as breastfeeding^b

Assisted hospitals to gain Baby-Friendly certification; breastfeeding support groups at maternity houses; participation in annual Breastfeeding Week activities; monitoring Baby-Friendly policy adherence at maternity houses; dissemination of breastfeeding educational materials

WR, Bangladesh^*

Used community based organization to form primary groups of men, including husbands and community leaders, to promote key family practices critical for child health and nutrition^a

WV, Afghanistan^*

Formed community-level committees (shuras) to mobilize communities and health shura members to communicate messages from Home-based Life Saving Skills (HBLSS)^b; conducted timed and targeted counseling home visits for pregnant women, other caregivers, and household decision-makers^b; held community meetings for promoting HBLSS messages^b

Promoted and supported Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative; women peer groups

PCI, Indonesia

Community outreach and counseling events for parents and caregivers^b

CRS, Nicaragua^c*

Behavior Change Agents using religious gatherings and sporting events to promote BCC strategies; specific program Engaging Men to Improve Care-Seeking; TBA home visits with women and partner to promote health topics, including EBF^b

Strengthening health workers’ and volunteers’ capacities related to maternal and newborn nutrition

FG, Peru^*

Community Health Agent home visits geared towards families^b; general community assemblies discussing health issues of women and children^b

Integrated with other health messages, e.g., EBF to prevent pneumonia; trained health facility staff and community health agents

HHF, Haiti

Organization of Fathers’ Groups for health education activities^a; community meetings and demonstrations^b

Care, Sierra Leone^c*

Formed community health clubs, with concerted effort to include men, and promoted health messages at meetings^b

Trained community-based growth promoters to promote EBF; pregnant women’s support groups and multisectoral activities promoted nutrition behaviors

Curamericas, Liberia^c*

Behavior change communication activities in communities with messages targeted at both genders^b

HP, Uganda^c

Conducted community BCC sessions promoting breastfeeding^b

Counseled mothers on breastfeeding; behavior change communication activities with men

RI, Niger^*

Conducted meetings with husbands and village committees to promote behavior change communication messages, which include breastfeeding^a

Promoted health behaviors with women’s health groups

WI, Tanzania^*

Embedded EBF messages into other BCC message health topic areas, including diarrhea and pneumonia, at community events^b

Care, Nepal^c

Behavior change communication strategy targeted husbands, including radio, TV and other IEC materials disseminated at community events^b

Trained Female Community Health Volunteers to educate and counsel mothers

WV, India^c*

Held community meetings to improve men’s engagement in family planning (especially LAM) and maternal and child nutrition

Timed counseling sessions with mothers; CHW training

AME-Sada, Haiti^*

Organized community-wide rally posts to educate community, including fathers, in-laws, and grandmothers, to communicate specific behavior change messages, including EBF^b

Trained CHWs, who made home visits; partnered with COZAM (breastfeeding promotion group); behavior change messages communicated through several media, including breastfeeding clubs and support groups