Social & Behavior Change: Contributions from the Latin America and the Caribbean

This second SBC Session seeks to foster a dialogue about the SBC Perspectives and Approaches emerging from the Latin America and the Caribbean in the light of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC). The goal is to exchange knowledge amongst practitioners of Social and Behavior Change (SBC), globally by incorporating insights and emerging trends from this regional perspective.

Issues related to social and behavior change have undergone significant debates and shifts in approach, not only globally but especially in the Global South. These approaches have sparked tensions, as they encompass both technical and political dimensions, including ongoing discussions about the central role of communication, dialogue, participation and social mobilization in development. The recent history of our field reflects this evolution: from Communication for Development (C4D) and Communication for Social Change (CFSC) to Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), and more recently, the emerging trend of Social and Behavior Change (SBC). Some key context points below for the dialogue.

• Key challenges have emerged, such as integrating insights from applied behavioral sciences, considering the context necessary to sustain behavioral changes, strengthening systems, improving service delivery, knowledge management, and generating the evidence required for informed decision-making.
• On the other hand, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has pioneered in developing practices, insights, and knowledge across various areas, including social mobilization; popular, community, and citizen communication; communication pedagogy; and the understanding of cultural and political contexts. The region has also led efforts in decolonial perspectives on communication, alternative approaches to development such as buen vivir ("good living"), and more. However, limited resources have been devoted to the systematization and visibility of these approaches and models, despite their potential to contribute meaningfully to the global discourse on urgent social changes and demands.
• UNICEF has a longstanding tradition in these areas, engaging in structured efforts such as Communication for Development (C4D), Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), addressing social norms, tackling social rumors and misinformation, raising awareness, and disseminating critical information and is a leading global actor in the shift towards an SBC perspective.
• In Latin America during the past two years, the Social and Behavior Change (SBC) team at the regional UNICEF Office for the LAC region has been especially committed to creating spaces for critical reflection, knowledge exchange, and enhancing technical capacities in Social and Behavioral Change in partnership with UNINORTE (Barranquilla, Colombia).
• The Communication Initiative (The CI)  has for years collected a robust body of knowledge, shared information and facilitated dialogue on innovative social and behavior change communication processes in the field. The CI and its regional platform CI LA joins this collaborative effort to amplify and expand the debate on SBC, developed with the involvement of Latin American experts from academia, social organizations, UNICEF specialists, and implementing local and regional partners.