We recently hosted a webinar on Applying Behaviour Change Principles to Health Promotion and NCD Advocacy, delivered in collaboration with St George’s University through their practicum programme with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator.
This session was made possible through the work of practicum students Chrisanne Alleyne and Aleksandra Peterman, who supported the planning and coordination of the webinar as part of their practicum. Their efforts were guided by the leadership of Jay Robinson, our Project Assistant.
The topic for this webinar was suggested some time ago by one of our partners, and we are grateful to them for highlighting the need for more practical guidance on how behaviour change principles can be applied to health promotion and NCD advocacy. As organisations and advocates working to prevent and control NCDs, understanding why people behave the way they do, and how behaviour can be influenced ethically and effectively, is critical to strengthening our awareness, education, and policy efforts.
Our guest speaker for this session was Dr Dadirai Fundira, a Consultant at the World Bank, who delivered a thorough and accessible presentation, grounding theory in real-world application. She introduced participants to the basics of behaviour change, before walking through several widely used behaviour change theories and models, including:
- COM-B
- The Health Belief Model
- Theory of Planned Behaviour
- Social Cognitive Theory
- EAST
Participants also explored how to diagnose behaviours, design behaviour change campaigns, and apply these theories to advocacy and policy work, particularly in the context of NCD prevention. Importantly, Dr Fundira also emphasised ethical considerations, highlighting the safeguards needed to ensure behaviour change work is responsive, respectful, and people-centred.
We extend our sincere thanks to Dr Fundira for such a rich and insightful session, to everyone who attended, and to Chrisanne, Aleksandra, and Jay for their dedication and leadership in bringing this webinar to life. Sessions like these are an important part of strengthening advocacy capacity and ensuring our collective efforts to address NCDs are evidence-informed, ethical, and effective.
About Dr. Fundira
Dr Dadi Fundira is a global nutrition and public health specialist with a PhD in International Nutrition from Cornell University and over a decade of experience supporting global health and development programmes. Her work spans research and implementation, with expertise in nutrition, behaviour change communication, monitoring and evaluation, data systems, and evidence-to-action strategies. She has contributed to multi-country initiatives with partners including UNICEF, the World Bank, USAID partners, ICF/The DHS Program, and major global health funders.
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