The ABCs of SBC

This episode is in English and Spanish! What if access to trustworthy health information was considered as important as access to healthcare itself? In this special bilingual (English & Spanish) episode of The ABCs of SBC, recorded live at the 2026 SBCC Summit in Panama City, we explore one of the biggest public health questions of our time: what does it actually mean to ensure everyone has ac...

Every three seconds, a girl under 18 is married somewhere in the world. While global rates of child marriage have declined, millions of girls continue to face pressure to marry before they are ready, often shaped by a complex mix of social norms, economic realities, family expectations, and gender inequality. Laws matter, but as practitioners working on the issue know, legislation alone is rarely...

For decades, governments have tackled public health challenges with clear policies and well-funded campaigns, only to find that the outcomes don't always follow. Information alone rarely changes what people do. Across the world, behavioural insights units have quietly taken root inside governments, helping policymakers understand why people behave as they do, and what it actually takes to shi...

A good school is a place where a child learns one powerful belief: I matter. When children feel safe, heard, and valued at school, it can change everything - how they see themselves, how they learn, and how they imagine their future. Yet for millions of children around the world, violence remains a routine part of school life, shaping childhoods in ways that are both harmful and deeply normalized....

How can behavioural data science improve social and behaviour change (SBC) programs? Where do machine learning and AI genuinely add value? And what can goat markets teach us about human behaviour? In this episode, we explore the emerging field of behavioural data science: how it reveals patterns, frictions, and hidden levers in datasets that weren’t necessarily collected with human behaviour in mi...

For generations, harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage have been justified as traditions of identity and belonging, and have, at times, been linked to misinterpretations of religious text – even as they cause life long harm. Today, faith leaders across Africa and the Middle East are reshaping these beliefs from within their own communities, using their moral author...

Sudan is living through war and mass displacement. Yemen faces one of the world’s longest-running humanitarian crises. And in Moldova, far from active conflict but still grappling with inequality, Roma communities remain excluded from the very systems meant to serve them. Across these vastly different contexts, one question emerges: how do communities themselves step in to sustain and shape the sy...

The internet is where kids learn, play, and connect, but it’s also where they can be bullied, exploited, surveilled, and manipulated. As digital threats evolve faster than the systems designed to protect children, how do we keep them safe in a world that’s always online? From outdated legal frameworks to overwhelmed parents and disconnected protection services, this episode highlights not just the...

What if healthcare systems weren't just centralized services but dynamic partnerships rooted in trust, relevance, and equity?  That’s the driving vision behind Community Delivery Platforms. In this episode we talk about collaborations among governments, local communities, UNICEF, and partner organizations to make essential health and nutrition services accessible to every mother, child, and h...

In this episode, Qali dives into the unfolding mpox outbreaks in Central and West Africa. With new patterns of transmission, rising child mortality, and deep-rooted stigma, frontline responders in DRC and Burundi are rewriting the old playbooks in real time. Join UNICEF SBC experts as they unpack what worked, what fell short, and how communities, digital tools, and gender-aware strategies are shap...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI), a global initiative to get vaccines to every child, everywhere. While much progress has been made over the last 50 years, there is still much more work to be done to ensure equitable access to vaccines for all. In this episode, Qali speaks with immunisation experts to understand what Social and Behaviour Change (...

It is estimated that globally, 1 in 7 young people between 10 and 19-year-old experience mental health conditions that remain largely unrecognized and untreated. How can something so prevalent often remain invisible? What can SBC do to bring mental health forward and connect those struggling with the support they need?  In this episode, Qali speaks with experts working to improve Mental Health and...

How can we adapt SBC approaches to speak to the different cultures and languages of the people we serve? For example, what does human-centred design look like in Indigenous communities, where writing and drawing are uncommon modes of communication? In this episode we dig into one of SBC’s superpowers—to connect with communities, unearth local insights and drive solutions rooted in what people valu...

How do you say hello? Do you shake hands? Do you give a kiss on either cheek? Do you bend at the waist to give a bow? These gestures are automatic. We may not even notice we do them at all.   This episode is about Social Norms, the unwritten rules that dictate everything we do - from how we greet each other to how we raise and view our children. Can Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) help protect c...

Systems - you may not see them or feel them but they’re there. When vaccines feel out of reach or voting too arduous a task, it means our systems may need some TLC, R&D and perhaps, SBC? If you’ve ever wondered about the systems that get vaccines to your arm, mail to your door, and food on your plate - this episode is for you. Qali speaks with Vincent Petit , Global Lead of Social and Behaviou...

Every year, world leaders convene at the UN Climate Change Conference to discuss the urgency of climate change and the need for equitable, people-centred solutions. Could Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) have the chops to tackle such a massive challenge? Can SBC shed some light on the age-old debate on individual change versus system change to reduce emissions?  In this episode, Qali speaks with...

Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategies have a proven track record in influencing positive choices, from healthy eating to civic engagement. But what about a deeply entrenched and nuanced social issue like violence against girls, boys and women. In this episode, we delve into the complexities of this issue and explore existing SBC interventions working to dismantle these harmful norms. Join Q...

Sure, Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) can help people make healthier food choices and complete important civic processes like voting or registration. But what can SBC do in moments of duress? When conflict erupts? When a natural disaster strikes? When a new virus breaks loose? Does SBC have a role to play in a rapidly unfolding emergency? Can it serve and protect the communities most affected by...

Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) brings together a variety of tools to shift the way people and societies behave. When applied to policy, it’s helped reduce traffic deaths. When brought into clinics, it’s helped tuberculosis patients complete their treatments. When brought to US college campuses, it can even help explain why students won’t stop binge drinking. In this episode, Qali speaks to SBC...

The ABCs of SBC is a new podcast from UNICEF that explores what Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) is and whether it can move the needle forward on some of the world's most complex challenges. Tune in weekly to uncover the limits and possibilities of SBC  — without the complexity, while on your commute.   Stay tuned for the first episode launching March 18th. The views and opinions expressed b...