THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR CHANGE COMMUNICATIONS (SBCC) IN CHANGING SOCIAL ATTITUDES ON EQUAL RIGHTS TO PROPERTY FOR WOMEN – THE CASE OF KOSOVO

1. 1
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
CHANGE
COMMUNICATIONS
IN CHANGING
SOCIAL ATTITUDES
ON EQUAL RIGHTS
TO PROPERTY FOR
WOMEN
MERITA LIMANI, DON
CUIZON, DRITON ZEQIRI
USAID Property Rights
Program in Kosovo,
implemented byTetraTech
World Bank
Washington, DC
March 2018
PHOTOCREDIT:SOVRANNRECAJ

2. 2
• Area: 10,905.25 km2
• Population: approx. 1.8 million.
• Highest unemployment in the Balkan
region, particularly among youth and
women.
• Gender Equality legal framework is
egalitarian – bound to international
Human Rights standards/Conventions.
• Constitution guarantees right to
property for women and men.
• However, society is considered
patriarchal and patrilineal.
• Only 20% of women own property.
• Only 7.8% of women inherit property
from their birth families.
COUNTRY CONTEXT
KOSOVO
PHOTOCREDIT:HIKINGNJERI
PHOTOCREDIT:BEATIFULLKOSOVA

3. 3
• Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini.
• Territory changing hands many
times over centuries:
– Ottoman Empire
– Kingdom ofYugoslavia and
socialistYugoslavia as
autonomous province
– Post-1999
• Patrilineal inheritance not
unique to Kosovo. Practiced
throughout the region.
– Despite gender-responsive
inheritance legislation from
early 20th century.
STRONG TRADITION
+ CUSTOMARY LAW
PHOTOCREDIT:DIELLZABALAJ

4. 4
• Centuries-old cultural norms
and traditions too entrenched
and continue to prevail today
with respect to women’s
property inheritance rights.
• Good legislative pedigree of
equality for decades, but social
and institutional adherence
remains weak.
• Current social behavior
towards women not
compatible with the good
intentions of the law.
GOOD LAWS BUT
POOR BEHAVIOR
PHOTOCREDIT:DIELLZABALAJPHOTOCREDIT:BLERONÇAKA

5. …By using a Social Behavior Change Communications (SBCC)
approach!
…But, why?
The subject isTABOO.Women aren’t demanding or asserting their right because
it’s not compatible with Kosovo family expectations. Simple “know your rights!”
approach is insufficient.
5
LET’S TRY CHANGING BEHAVIOR…

6. • Changing the behavior of a few people is expected to influence
behavior change at scale.
– SBCC for public health (e.g., wash hands, quit smoking).
• Legislative framework stands a chance if society buys in.
– It largely does not buy in because present behavior is not
compatible.Women still feel like they are taking from their
brothers. Education and economic status for women at a
disadvantage as compared to men only exacerbates the situation.
• SBCC offers a smart approach to a tough challenge by using science!
– Understanding society’s sensibilities and appealing to them. Death
and inheritance are deeply personal and familial matters. SBCC
studies it and then creates content that is authentic and
trustworthy.
6
WHY SBCC?
(CONT’D.)

7. Married or widowed women with brothers (ages 18-45)
Married men with sisters and/or daughters (ages 18-45)
Parents of adult children (ages 45-65)
7
FOCUS GROUP IDENTIFICATION AND TARGET
MESSAGE TESTING
FavoriteTV
shows? Radio?
What time do
you watch?
If you want to get
advice on a topic
of importance to
you – who might
you turn to?
Who are some of
the most famous
musicians/public
figures/sports figures
amongst your
friends?
What do you think
is the general
attitude in your
community towards
women’s property
rights?
Finish this sentence:
“Most of us in the
community agree that
you should (blank) to
assure women are able
to exercise their
inheritance rights.”

8. ✓Advertising Basics: Brand and Slogan
✓DesignTarget Messages
✓Create content that is POSITIVE and
AUTHENTIC
✓Multi-Channel Delivery for Multi-Ethnic
Audience
TV, Radio, Billboards, Facebook
Grassroots events for children – drawing
events, forum theater, puppet theater
Using Serbian actors for SerbianTV and
radio products
8
SBCC NUTS AND BOLTS
Since December
2015…
23TV, Radio, and Social
Media products
49 Unique Billboard
designs
29 Unique printed
products

9. 1. Public Officials and Famous Persons
(classic PSA)
3. Dramatization
9
THREE DIFFERENT BROADCAST APPROACHES
2. Citizen Interviews
Check out
“USAID Kosovo”
channel for our PSAs!

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FOR OUR COMMON GOOD / PËR TË MIRËN
TONË / ZA NAŠE DOBRO

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FOR OUR COMMON GOOD / PËR TË MIRËN
TONË / ZA NAŠE DOBRO (cont.)

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WHAT HAS CHANGED? HOW CAN WE TELL?
USAIDPRP
USAID PRP
conducted a baseline
and mid-term national
survey on knowledge,
attitudes, and
behaviors about
property rights.

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WHAT HAS CHANGED? HOW CAN WE TELL?
(CONT’D.)
Kosovo-wide representative sample of 1,251 respondents
✓SBCC is increasing property rights knowledge in correlation with
campaign exposure:
Basic knowledge increased from 27% to 51%.
✓Increased knowledge appears to be impacting attitudes:
Affirmative attitude among men toward equal property rights
increased from 64% to 73%.
✓Desired actions are happening more now than when there was no
SBCC campaign
Number of women inheriting property nearly doubled
(from 3.8% to 7.5%).

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WHAT HAS CHANGED? HOW CAN WE TELL?
(CONT’D.)
20% of women
have property
registered in their
name as of 2017.
18%
20%
0%
25%
Midterm survey, June
2017
Baseline survey, June
2015
Over half of
Kosovo public
now have basic
knowledge of
their rights to
property
27%
51%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Midterm survey, June 2017
Baseline survey, June 2015
Since 2015, the
number of
women filing
inheritance
claims in the
courts has
increased by:
10x

15. • A historical study revealed a behavioral disconnect (stemming from
centuries ago) with good, egalitarian laws.
• SBCC recognized the risk it asks of women to take, due to the cultural
sensitivities surrounding women’s property ownership and inheritance.
• Therefore, trust was achieved with women as well as men through
authenticity and appealing to the basic respect family members have for
each other.
• Sustainability by handing the campaign over to those who are still fighting
to realize their right.
• Continue to strive to do no harm. Pointing a light at a taboo subject always
runs the risk of pushing the fringe groups further away.
• Impact data from M&E shouldn’t be used to predict future behavior or
actions. It should just be for fine tuning content messaging and delivery.
• SBCC not a silver bullet. It is but one tool in a broader multi-channel
reform movement to create a legal framework governing property rights
that works for Kosovo and all of its inhabitants, regardless of ethnicity or
gender.
15
CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD

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THANKYOU!