Inclusive social and behaviour change at Sightsavers

Inclusion is at the heart of Sightsavers’ approach to social and behaviour change (SBC). This ensures a diverse range of people, including those with disabilities, are able to practise behaviours that positively influence their lives.

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Workshop leader Ramatu explains family planning options to women in Nigeria. © Sightsavers/Gateway Studios

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Sightsavers uses inclusive social and behaviour change as a fundamental approach to understand and transform the social, behavioural and structural factors shaping people’s decisions.

We work in partnership with communities to support healthy, equitable and inclusive choices, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Placing inclusion at the heart of social and behaviour change ensures we can help diverse communities – including people with disabilities and marginalised groups – prevent neglected tropical diseases, protect eye heath and access healthcare, education, employment and citizenship opportunities.

At Sightsavers, we use inclusive SBC to:

  • Design programmes and important messaging, and create healthy environments
  • Develop inclusive education and health services
  • Encourage healthy behaviours such as handwashing, wearing glasses, family planning and attending health checks
  • Ensure inclusive social norms and policies are in place to protect the rights of people with disabilities, especially women and girls, and enable them to take part
  • Create livelihood and political opportunities for people with disabilities, ensuring they can meaningfully participate in their community

What is social and behaviour change?

SBC is the science and practice of understanding why people behave the way they do, then using that understanding (grounded in psychology, sociology, economics and other behavioural disciplines) to design programmes, messages and environments that make it easier for people and communities to live healthier lives.

Learn the basics of SBC

Examples of our social and behaviour change work

A woman holds a copy of the CDD passport. The title in French reads: 'drug distributor's passport'.

We engage people at risk of disease

We develop ways of encouraging communities to change their behaviour to reduce the spread of disease, and our innovative tools such as the community drug distributor passport help to motivate health workers.

A cartoon image of three people with visible disabilities.

We reduce stigma and discrimination

In Ghana, we used SBC to reduce stigma and discrimination faced by people with disabilities and mental health issues. Our stigma guide helps staff and partners to create disability inclusive programmes.

 

 

A cartoon of a wheelchair user, a man with a walking stick and a woman waiting in line at a polling station.

We encourage community participation

Sightsavers promotes policies and social norms that enable people with disabilities to contribute to their community. Our guide for young people with disabilities in Sierra Leone helps them to take part in the democratic process.

A hand holding a card with a drawing of a pregnancy test.

We ensure programmes are inclusive

We use SBC to make health services welcoming, disability friendly and gender sensitive. In Nigeria, people with disabilities led the design of accessible SBC resources for Inclusive Futures’ family planning programme.

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Sightsavers' bright yellow accessibility pack box standing on a desk.

Social and behaviour change and accessibility

We make sure our SBC work is as inclusive as possible, so it can be understood by everyone. We’ve shared key tips in our accessibility pack, which will help you create communications that are user-friendly and easy to understand.

Read the accessibility pack

Hear from our SBC experts

A man reads from a passport-sized document while a male audience listens. Inside, there are colourful illustrations and guidance.
Sightsavers blog
Blogs / Social and behaviour change /

The community drug distributor passport: a small document with a big impact

Local volunteers are key to eliminating diseases. The CDD passport reinforces their vital role and supports their work delivering medication in communities.

June 2026
A cartoon image of three people with visible disabilities.
Sightsavers blog
Blogs / Social and behaviour change /

Introducing our practical guide to reducing disability stigma

Sightsavers’ Michael Odong is presenting the resource at the International SBCC Summit 2026.

June 2026
Joseph Mensah
Sightsavers blog
Blogs / Social and behaviour change /

Social and behaviour change: a game-changer to reduce stigma

Sightsavers’ Joseph Mensah shares four key learnings from a SBC programme in Ghana that aims to reduce stigma around disability, and how they'll inform our future SBC work.

June 2023
Cathy Stephen
Sightsavers blog
Blogs / Social and behaviour change /

Inclusive, accessible social behaviour change: what it is and how to do it

Sightsavers’ Cathy Stephen shares what we've learned from embedding inclusive, accessible social behaviour change processes in some of our recent projects in East and West Africa.

June 2023
Six schoolchildren sit on the floor around a board game that they're playing.
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Fighting disease /

Captain Clean: teaching children about hygiene through games

Schools in Kenya, Ethiopia and Guinea are using educational board games to teach children about the importance of good hygiene to help eliminate trachoma.

A large group of people gather together for a photo outside a building. Some people are seated, some are standing and there is a man in a wheelchair at the front of the group.
Sightsavers blog
Blogs / Social and behaviour change /

How inclusion ambassadors are reducing disability stigma and discrimination in Ghana

Sightsavers’ Joseph Mensah explains how the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie programme is helping to change negative social attitudes and behaviour.

April 2022