Cultivating Resilience and Relevance:
Harnessing Community Insights and Innovation for SBC Impact in Africa.
The Africa Society for Social & Behavior Change (AS-SBC) is delighted to announce its Virtual Summit on Social & Behavior Change, scheduled to take place online in July 2024. In recognition of the evolving global landscape, this virtual summit is strategically designed to bring together experts, practitioners, policymakers, and thought leaders from across Africa and the world in a digital space. Leveraging innovative virtual platforms, the summit aims to create an engaging and interactive experience for participants, breaking down geographical barriers and ensuring that collaborative learning and impactful discussions are accessible to everyone.
The goal of the Africa Social & Behavior Change Summit is to serve as a cornerstone for collaborative efforts in social and behavior change across Africa.
SUMMIT THEMES
The virtual summit will explore a wide range of themes relevant to social and behavior change in Africa, examining how digital platforms and technology can enhance interventions in areas such as:
Integrated Behavioral Science and Local Knowledge
This theme delves into the synergy between academic research in behavioral science and the rich repository of indigenous knowledge systems. It encourages submissions that demonstrate how this integration can lead to culturally resonant and evidence-based SBC practices, which are both scientifically sound and community-approved.
Community Engagement and Local Narratives
Here, the focus is on the power of storytelling and community participation in shaping SBC activities. Abstracts should highlight methods and outcomes of engaging with communities to harness their unique narratives, thereby ensuring that SBC initiatives are grounded in the realities of the people they aim to serve.
Innovative Financing and Sustainable Partnerships
This area seeks to explore novel funding mechanisms and collaborative models that ensure the longevity and reach of SBC programs. Abstracts may include case studies on public-private partnerships, impact investing, or community-based financing schemes that have led to sustainable SBC solutions.
Digital Transformation in SBC
The digital world presents exceptional opportunities for scaling SBC interventions. This topic invites abstracts that illustrate the revolutionary impact of digital tools and platforms in SBC. It includes exploring how mobile technology, social media, artificial intelligence, and other digital advancements are being used to drive behavior change.
Format
The virtual summit will utilize cutting-edge virtual event platforms featuring live-streamed keynote speeches, interactive panel discussions, on-demand workshops, virtual poster presentations, and online networking sessions. Participants will be able to engage with speakers and fellow attendees through live chat, Q&A sessions, and virtual breakout rooms, live streaming of the discussions in respective teams/groups, real-time access and download of resources/collaboration hub, sponsored content, among others, to ensure a dynamic and immersive experience. In addition, the respective country chapters will hold physical engagements.
The AS-SBC invites submissions for presentations, interactive workshops, digital exhibitions, and virtual posters that align with the summit themes. Country chapters are encouraged to mobilize participation from their respective countries, ensuring a diverse and representative gathering of perspectives and experiences. Country chapters will be supported by the AS SBC secretariat to mobilize participants for their respective countries. Country chapters will also convene physical/in-person versions of the Summit to run concurrently with the main virtual event.
For inquiries and submissions, please contact:
Email: info@as-sbc.org
Join us in transforming communities and shaping a brighter future for Africa through the power of social and behavior change, now accessible to all through our virtual summit!