Social behavior change (SBC) programs are uniquely placed to make a difference in achieving gender transformative goals. Integrating gender into SBC programs is key to promoting gender equality and achieving intended outcomes among persons of all genders and age groups.

This brief pulls from a recent review of SBC-focused literature and highlights the following eight promising practices on how to integrate gender considerations in health and non-health SBC interventions:

• Use a gender lens throughout the SBC program cycle to improve out­comes.
  • Synchronize gender strategies to ensure inclusion of men and women, and boys and girls
  • Address gendered health dispar­ities that affect use of services
  • Reduce harmful traditional prac­tices
  • Ensure community involvement and accountability for promotion of gender equality
  • Consider gender dimensions during emergency preparedness and response
  • Account for the intersecting gen­dered vulnerabilities that influ­ence health and development outcomes
  • Build organizational capacity and systems for gender integra­tion using a continuous learning approach

For more information, contact Sanyukta Mathur at smathur@popcouncil.org or Debora Freitas Lopez at dfreitas@URC-CHS.COM.