CISP at the Summit on communication for social and behavioral change in Marrakech

From 5 to 9 December 2022, CISP participated in the Social Behavioral Change Communication Summit in Marrakech, Morocco. The Summit was organized by a consortium of international partners including, among others, the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication and UNICEF.

Social and behavioral change communication (SBCC) is used to promote changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. To achieve its goals, SBCC follows a systematic approach that includes formative research, behavior analysis, communication planning, execution, and monitoring. Dissemination of activities and messages occurs through a variety of channels and social contexts to reach the different types of stakeholder groups, individuals, communities, service providers and policy makers.

One approach commonly used by CISP as well as other organization to facilitate social norms change.

The Summit focused on facilitating change using SBCC in the areas of climate crisis, gender equity, global inequality, and humanitarian action, and was attended by approximately 1800 people from various organizations from all around the world.

The program was very rich and diverse in terms of presentations and case studies of various organizations, including the private sector, from different countries. Some of the main topics discussed were:

• How to use the SBCC for social justice. Health and wealth disparities, gender inequity and global inequality among marginalized groups, including those with disabilities, have been further exacerbated by the pandemic. What is the role of SBCC in reshaping the power dynamics that perpetuate such inequalities?
• Nurture new voices for change and social movements. What is the role of SBCC in enhancing the voice of marginalized groups, especially youth, in building participatory dialogue to address the barriers that damage a sense of belonging, representation and the ability to act??
• How digital media is transforming SBCC - both for the good and for the bad. What are the opportunities and pitfalls of social media and digital technologies for social connection and collaboration?
• Facilitate collective action through co-design, co-creation, networking and social mobilization across different sectors, disciplines, and actors, especially between civil society, academia, practitioners, and the private sector.
• Connect the SBCC community to increase collaboration, share expertise and resources, and build capacity. The importance of partnerships and networks within communities to increase impact, for example, between donors, governments, private sector companies and civil society.

CISP presented two case studies on social norm change projects in Somalia. The first presentation by Chiara Camozzi - Culture and Communication Advisor of CISP in Kenya and Somalia - concerned "Art for social change: a tool to promote the inclusion of marginalized groups in Somalia" within the panel: "Empowering Entertainment: ensuring no one is left behind." The second presentation, by Rachel Litoroh's – Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator for Somalia – was on “Effectiveness and lessons learned from Communities Care intervention to reduce social norms that lead to sexual violence in Somalia”, within the panel “Addressing sexual violence: digital approaches based on community involvement.

The CISP team also gathered new ideas and information about SBCC from presentations by other organizations and made new connections for future collaborations.

Here are some of the key points raised during the Summit and presented during the final session:

1. Integrate climate into SBCC practice.
2. Include community voices in program design, implementation, and evaluation. Empathy and co-design are no longer optional principles in social and behavioral change programs.
3. The language and words we use in our work have the power to connect or divide, to include or exclude. It is imperative that we include everyone's voices and use language that helps the communities we work with participate in the dialogue, design, and monitoring and evaluation of SBCC programs.
4. Reframe communication as a right and place equity at the heart of SBCC. Communication is not just a tool to bring about change. When people can express themselves openly, are heard and understood, they become the main architects of their future.
5. Digital approaches require a respectful and ethical commitment. Given the speed with which digital technology evolves, we must ensure the protection of people and data in an ethical, secure, fair, and systematic way.
6. Accept failure and promote collaboration and exchange.
7. Storytelling helps create connections and motivate behavior change by connecting people and fostering exchange.

After the Summit, CISP pledged to strengthen and increase the use of Communication for Social Change in its programs, with the intention of including it in projects in other countries and as a transversal approach in other sectors and programs focused on changing social norms, including measuring its impact.

More info on the Summit.

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