UNICEF and partners roll out Triangle’s report applying social and behavioral science approaches to assist refugees and facilitate their integration into host countries.

Background 

In February 2022, Ukraine became the epicenter of one of the world’s largest human displacements following the Russian invasion. This crisis predominantly affected women and children, with more than 90% of refugees crossing international borders belonging to these vulnerable groups. Amidst the turmoil, refugees encountered substantial challenges. These circumstances prompted the UNICEF Emergency Response Office in Poland to employ social and behavioral science approaches, alongside human-centered methodologies, to address the behavioral barriers hindering refugees from adopting positive practices and accessing services in host countries.

The Challenge 

Ukrainian refugees navigating host countries faced significant barriers, including navigating host countries marked by uncertainty, barriers to essential services, and a dearth of information. Behavioral barriers impeded engagement with essential services, while inadequate social integration mechanisms heightened stress and vulnerability.

Our Approach 

Triangle played a key role in leveraging behavioral insights to enhance refugee support through a structured and evidence-based methodology: 

• Definition of Target Behaviors and Context:Through consultations with UNICEF’s Social and Behavior Change (SBC) team and key stakeholders, priority behaviors and focus areas were identified. Remote workshops and key informant interviews helped refine the selection process, ensuring targeted interventions. 
• Understanding Behavioral Barriers:Using qualitative and quantitative research, including interviews with refugees, local partners, and research suppliers, Triangle mapped the behavioral barriers affecting service uptake. These insights were compiled into behavioral maps for key personas, providing a comprehensive understanding of obstacles to integration. 
• Development of Behavioral Interventions and Recommendations: A short desk review identified potential interventions. Co-creation workshops, involving UNICEF staff and country stakeholders, facilitated the presentation of findings and formulation of actionable behavioral insights. These insights were used to prototype tailored interventions. 
• Supporting Testing and Implementation: To ensure effective intervention deployment, training sessions were conducted for implementing partners, co-delivered by UNICEF staff and vendors. Ongoing support was provided through bi-weekly check-ins to guide prototyping, testing, and evaluation of interventions. A detailed manual was developed to support the testing process. 
• Analysis and Recommendations for Scaling Up: Quantitative and qualitative data from intervention testing were analysed to extract key findings. These insights were compiled into a summary with actionable recommendations, which were presented to stakeholders for strategic decision-making on scaling up successful interventions. 

Results and Impact 

• Improved Refugee Integration: Enhanced understanding of challenges faced by displaced families, enabling targeted interventions. 
• Strengthened Service Uptake: Behavioral insights have informed strategies to increase engagement with essential services. 
• Evidence-Based Policy Recommendations: Triangle’s study has produced a series of reports that form the foundation of programming by integrating Social and Behavior Change (SBC) approaches into the refugee response strategy across the country. These reports provide evidence-based insights on behavioral barriers to service uptake and social integration, guiding UNICEF and humanitarian partners in designing targeted interventions. Findings from the study are being widely disseminated through working groups and coordination platforms, ensuring that SBC principles are embedded into refugee support policies and programming at scale. 
• Capacity Building for Implementation Partners. Training sessions have equipped stakeholders with the tools to deliver effective interventions. 

Looking Ahead 

By leveraging insights and building evidence-based frameworks, Triangle is committed to driving sustainable and impactful solutions for vulnerable communities affected by displacement.