This research titled, “Mobile Phones: A Tool for Social & Behavioural Change,” is developed by DEF with the support of UNICEF India, is a work in holistic approach to understand the scope, magnitude and learn from experiences of how mobiles are emerging as viable tools, devices and platforms to meet vital development and governance objectives through desired social and behavioural changes (SBC). The reports have been devised into three formats – The White Paper; The Working Paper; The Review of Case Studies.

The White Paper

This white paper titled, “Mobile Phones: A Tool for Social & Behavioural Change,” is a collaborative work of UNICEF India and Digital Empowerment Foundation. The white paper presents the key areas of emphasis in the growing mobile for development space in India especially how mobiles are contributing to social and behavioural changes, the limitations as well as the scope to expand the social space with rising mobile density. Substance of the paper has been derived from research and field inputs as well as from two days of consultation process.The paper is hoped to emerge as a knowledge guide for stakeholders as to why and how mobiles find increasing presence and relevance to support development efforts.

Read full White Paper here 

The Working Paper

The Working paper presents the key areas of emphasis in the growing mobile for development space in India especially how mobiles are contributing to social and behavioural changes, the limitations as well as the scope to expand the social space for mobiles. Substance of the paper has been derived from research and field inputs as well as from two days of consultation involving multiple stakeholders in mobile sector in second week of May. The paper is intended to assist stakeholders to get an overview of issues, scope and relevance in mobile to support social and behavioural change efforts.

Read full Working Paper here

The Review of Case Studies

A review of 12 mobile case studies for this paper indicates the most common sectors for social investment are education, health, socio-economic development, and disaster management. The pilot initiatives have highlighted two essential points. One, mobiles have emerged as effective mechanism to derive project impacts in – information dissemination, project monitoring/tracking, training of frontline workers and interpersonal communication practices. Second, mobile projects calls for inclusive agenda among stakeholders in multi-stakeholder partnership mode.

Read full Review of Case Studies here