Gender and Social and Behavior Change Communication Implementation Kit
Integrate Gender into Social and Behavior
Change Communication.
Learn about gender and social and behavior change communication, assess your existing strategy,
discover new information using a step-by-step “how-to” guide and integrate changes into your current strategy.
What is Gender Integration
Integrating gender into a social and behavior change communication (SBCC) program involves identifying and then addressing gender inequalities during the strategy and project design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of a project. By integrating gender into your SBCC strategy, you can make health messages more effective, stimulate equity in gender roles and improve health outcomes. Since the roles and power relations between men and women affect how an activity is implemented, it is essential that project managers address these issues on an ongoing basis (USAID, 2012).
What is the Purpose of this I-Kit
This I-Kit provides a step-by-step approach to integrate gender into an existing SBCC strategy or marketing plan.
The I-Kit is designed to help users understand gender concepts, theories and frameworks; assess the current level of gender integration in a project; and use a series of tools to uncover new information that can be applied to an existing SBCC strategy or marketing plan.
You can also use these tools and resources when developing a new SBCC strategy or marketing plan.
Read the information and background included in the introduction section to help you understand gender concepts, theories and frameworks for SBCC.
Review the checklist before starting the process to take the necessary actions to incorporate both men and women’s perspectives and address their needs as you design your strategy.
Use the templates and resources within each step to help you gather information specific to gender and integrate it into your new SBCC strategy.
Who Is the Audience for This I-Kit
The primary audience for this I-Kit are those individuals who want to integrate gender into an existing SBCC strategy. This may include program managers, designers and implementers of SBCC programs.
What Does This I-Kit Contain?
Background Information
Information and technical considerations on gender, programmatic approaches, SBCC theory and gender-based frameworks.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Step-by-step guidance on how to integrate gender into an existing SBCC strategy
Templates and Checklists
Relevant templates and checklists to help review and integrate gender into an existing SBCC strategy.
How to Use This I-Kit
This I-Kit uses an evidence-based approach to SBCC strategy development. It can be used as a self-facilitated learning tool or as part of a workshop organized to review and revise an existing SBCC strategy or marketing plan.
Integrating gender into an existing SBCC strategy or marketing plan is a good first step to developing a gender transformative program but the process requires your team to be open and honest about where your program currently stands and the direction it needs to go. Although this may sound easy, this is not always the case and is often dependent on the current political situation, cultural and religious norms, community level support, and individual desire and ability to change.
The process may need to begin with you and your team. Explore opportunities for you and your staff to learn more about gender and what it means to be gender sensitive. There are a number of activities and trainings that can help you start this process.
The I-Kit is divided into three main sections:
Learn about SBCC and Gender
Review the background and current research on gender. Familiarize yourself with key gender concepts, programmatic approaches to SBCC and technical considerations for gender integration.
Assess Your Program's Gender Status
Determine where the program currently stands. Find out what information is still needed and how that information will impact the design, implementation and evaluation of a program.
Follow the Steps of Strategy Design
Identify entry points and guide the process of discovering new gender-related information. Integrate this new information into your existing SBCC strategy or marketing plan.