About the Journal

Focus and scope

The Journal of Applied Social and Behavioural Sciences in Africa is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing social and behaviour change (SBC) research relevant to children's rights and well-being across the African continent. Published by the Academia for Social and Behaviour Change (A4SBC) Network, the journal provides a dedicated platform that centres African scholarship and contributes to a Global South-centred paradigm in SBC research and practice.

The journal adopts a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary scope, welcoming research across health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection, social policy, climate change adaptation, early childhood development, and adolescent engagement, as well as work that cuts across these domains. Eligible submissions include original research articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, case studies, methodological papers, policy briefs and practice notes, and commentaries and perspectives. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including mixed and multi-method approaches, are welcomed, provided they are applied with appropriate rigour and advance understanding of the mechanisms and conditions through which behaviour and social norms change.

Embedded within a network of 27+ African universities and research institutions, the journal positions African-led scholarship at the centre of a field historically shaped by research produced elsewhere. 

Open access policy

The journal operates on a diamond open access model. All content is freely available to readers worldwide immediately upon publication, and no article processing charges are levied on authors. This model reflects a deliberate commitment to equity, ensuring that researchers and practitioners across the continent can both contribute to and benefit from a shared evidence base, regardless of institutional affiliation or resource base.

Copyright notice

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal right of first publication. Authors are free to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of the work, with acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

AI statement

The journal recognises that artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used in research and writing processes. Authors are expected to use AI tools responsibly and transparently. In other words: any substantial use of AI tools in the research process (including but not limited to data analysis, literature review, or text generation) must be disclosed in the methods section or acknowledgements, specifying which tools were used and for what purposes. AI-generated content must be carefully reviewed, verified, and edited by the authors, who retain full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of their work. Authors must ensure that the use of AI tools does not compromise research ethics, including protections for human participants, data privacy, or proper attribution of sources. The use of AI does not diminish authors’ accountability for their work, and authors remain responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts meet the journal’s standards for methodological rigour, ethical conduct, and scholarly contribution. Reviewers and editors may request additional information about AI tool usage during the review process.

Sponsorship and funding disclosure

The journal is a collaborative initiative of the A4SBC Network, developed in partnership with UNICEF. The Journal Management Team, comprising the Editor-in-Chief alongside UCT Library Press and UNICEF representatives, oversees funding, production, hosting, and financial sustainability. The journal maintains transparency regarding its funding sources and sponsorship arrangements, and all editorial decisions are made independently of funders.