The case for behavioral science
Speakers set out why behavior belongs at the center of development practice rather than at its edges. As funding tightens and budgets come under strain, the question of what actually works, and for whom, becomes harder to avoid. Behavioral science widens the set of tools available for answering it, and it does so at a cost that compares favorably with most alternatives.
The case for working together
The recurring theme was that no single organization can build this evidence base alone. Behavioral units are multiplying across the Global South, but many struggle to last, and the knowledge they generate rarely travels beyond the institution that produced it. Speakers called for closer coordination on evidence, more open exchange of what has and hasn't worked, and shared investment in the institutional capacity that keeps this work going.
Commitment to the network
Panelists reaffirmed their organizations' commitment to GBEND as the vehicle for that coordination, and the session closed with the network formally activated for 2026, with antimicrobial resistance as its first thematic focus.
