The South Sudan HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (2013–2017) and the National HIV Prevention Strategy (2015–2017) have highly prioritized behavioural change communication as part of the strategic prevention interventions to reduce new HIV infections. The South Sudan Modes of Transmission Study (South Sudan AIDS Commission, 2014) indicated that over 80 per cent of the new infections are due to sexual HIV transmission, central to which are levels of correct and comprehensive knowledge; individual, interpersonal, community and institutional behaviours and sociocultural norms and practices related to reproductive health.  

Despite the critical effect of social and behavioural factors in driving the epidemic, South Sudan currently has no specific guiding framework for effective social and behavioural change interventions supportive to HIV prevention and HIV and AIDS care and treatment. The National HIV/AIDS Communication Strategy (2008–2012) expired in 2012. To respond to this critical need, a national social and behaviour change strategy has been developed. This document is titled “South Sudan Social and Behavioural Strategy for HIV and AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment”, given the scope of issues to be addressed that go beyond behaviour and communication but extends to enabling interventions.