Joint Evaluation of the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Collective Service
What is the role of risk communication and community engagement during health emergencies? Why is it important for organizations to work together in this area and how can this best be achieved?
Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is a strategic approach that has recently gained prominence and plays an important role in public health emergencies to effectively inform individuals and communities about healthy behaviours and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The RCCE Collective Service is a collaboration between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). It was established in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of improving coordination and collaboration for community-led responses to public health emergencies, and to avoid past shortcomings in the absence of an effective RCCE, as experienced during previous epidemics such as the Zika or Ebola virus outbreaks.
To assess the Service's achievements, an evaluation was carried out, jointly managed by the evaluation offices of IFRC, UNICEF, and WHO. The evaluation concludes that the decision to launch a global, inter-agency, and coordinated effort on RCCE was appropriate, necessary, and timely. It outlines strategic options and provides evidence-based recommendations to the Service partners' decision-makers for shaping the future strategy, vision, and coordination model of this valuable inter-agency initiative.
