The Francophone Summit was designed specifically to bring together a community of francophone social and behavior change (SBC) organizations, practitioners, and researchers to advance the discipline of SBC within the francophone reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health, and nutrition (RMNCH + N) community.
The Francophone SBC Summit brought conversations to Abidjan from two preceding International Social and Behavior Change Communication Summits (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2016; and Nusa Dua, Indonesia, in 2018). The Francophone Summit built upon the global event’s 2018 themes: “What Works” in SBC, which explored the evidence supporting SBC’s effectiveness in improving RMNCH+N outcomes; “Making Sense of Now,” which focused on how to apply long-standing SBC theories, as well as incorporating innovations such as behavioral economics and human-centered design for maximum impact; and “Amplifying Voice,” which emphasized the need to increase ownership of, and investment in, SBC at the community, national government, and regional levels.
Within these overarching themes, the Francophone Summit’s three days were further focused around pertinent areas of interest identified by a poll conducted among potential participants and partners months prior to the event:
- Data, Service Delivery, and Community Engagement (Day 1)
- Gender and the Use of Storytelling for SBC (Day 2)
- Youth and the Use of Mass and Social Media for SBC (Day 3)
This report (also available in French) provides a snapshot of the Francophone Summit, including innovative sessions and approaches featured in the three-day event, lessons learned, and ideas for a second Francophone Summit—already front-of-mind for many as participants said their goodbyes in Abidjan.
