Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Sciences for Better Health

The World Health Organization is pleased to present the members of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Behavioural Sciences for Better Health.

The TAG is composed of renowned experts representing a broad range of disciplines relevant to behavioural insights and sciences, including psychology, behavioural economics, anthropology, and sociology. The group also brings together extensive experience in advising on national health policies and programmes informed by behavioural insights and sciences; in evaluating the impact of behaviourally informed public health initiatives in low- and middle-income countries; and in setting up or running behavioural insights units in organizations.

WHO published the open call for experts in March 2024, soliciting proposals for members to serve on its TAG to inform the work of WHO’s Behavioural Sciences for Better Health Initiative. The group provides expert advice for WHO on how to systematically achieve maximum public health impact by including behavioural evidence in its work and in national health policies and programme planning. The recommendations of the expert group will be addressed to WHO across the three levels of the Organization (HQ, regional, and country offices).

The TAG has the following functions:

1. To provide independent assessment of the scientific, technical and strategic aspects of applying the behavioural sciences to public health;
2. To advise WHO on how to adopt behavioural science perspectives to support WHO work;
3. To advise WHO on how to tackle priority areas for implementation of behavioural science approaches within WHO and in Member States;
4. To advise WHO on the implementation of the Behavioural Sciences for Better Health Resolution;
5. To make recommendations to WHO for the adoption of operational frameworks for the mainstreaming of behavioural sciences into WHO operations, particularly in providing technical advice on national health policies and programme planning.

12 March 2025 (Plenary meeting)
WHO Assistant Director-General for Healthier Populations launches the new membership of the TAG on Behavioural Sciences for Better Health at the eighteenth technical meeting. The new members are orientated on WHO, the role of the BI Unit, and their role as TAG members in this introductory meeting.

11 July 2024 (Plenary meeting)
Seventeenth technical meeting of the TAG to review the work of the TAG to date and advise on the approach for the new TAG 2024-2026.

18 April 2024 (Plenary meeting)
Sixteenth technical meeting of the TAG to advise the Behavioural Insights Unit on ethics reviews of behavioural science studies in the field of public health.

9 November 2023 (Plenary meeting)
Fifteenth technical meeting of the TAG to advise the Behavioural Insights Unit on tools to support the work of behavioural advisors.

6 July 2023 (Plenary meeting)
Fourteenth technical meeting of the TAG for a rapid consultation on planning for the implementation of the resolution on Behavioural Sciences for Better Health (World Health Assembly 76.7). The meeting was held to review the resolution, discuss understanding, and advise the BI Unit on how to address Member States requests.

16 March 2023 (Plenary meeting)
Thirteenth technical meeting of the TAG to provide advice through a rapid consultation on prioritizing behavioural considerations on prevention of Violence Against Children. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the Violence Prevention Unit in the Social Determinants of Health Department.

30 August 2022 (Plenary meeting)
Twelfth technical meeting of the TAG on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health with the renewed mandate from 2022 – 2024. The three day meeting discussed the strategy for behavioural sciences at WHO going forward; behavioural considerations for the management of non-communicable disease risk factors; and the scope of behavioural sciences within public health. Read the related news story here.

14 July 2022 (Plenary meeting)
Eleventh technical meeting of the TAG to conduct a rapid consultation on the WHO global behavioural science training package.

30 March 2022 (Plenary meeting)
Tenth technical meeting of the TAG to conduct a rapid consultation on behavioural advice to address misperceptions related to non-communicable diseases. This meeting was organized in collaboration with the WHO Ambassador Team.

22 January 2022 (Plenary meeting)
Ninth technical meeting of the TAG to discuss the inclusion of behavioural insights into the establishment of an intergovernmental body to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. The output of the meeting was a letter sent to the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body. 

11 November 2021 (Plenary meeting)
Eighth technical meeting of the TAG to conduct a rapid consultation on the important elements to consider when setting up behavioural insights units within governments. This meeting was organized in collaboration with the Behavioural and Cultural Insights for Health team within the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

29 July 2021 (Plenary meeting)
Seventh technical meeting to discuss antimicrobial resistance. This meeting was organized in collaboration with the WHO Department of Global Coordination and Partnership on Antimicrobial Resistance.

14 June 2021
Launch of the policy brief titled “Young people and COVID-19: Behavioural considerations for promoting safe behaviours”. The report is based on discussions held by TAG members at the plenary meeting on 16 February 2021.   

3 June 2021 (Plenary meeting)
Sixth technical meeting to discuss the progress of Working Group 3

23 March 2021
First meeting of Working Group 3: Setting up a central Behavioural Insights Unit.

16 February 2021 (Plenary meeting)
Fifth technical meeting (Part II) to build on the discussion on behaviours of young people in the COVID-19 pandemic.

4 February 2021 (Plenary meeting)
Fifth technical meeting of the TAG to discuss behaviours of young people in the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was organized with the support of the American Psychological Association.

10 December 2020 (Plenary meeting)
Fourth technical meeting of the TAG to reflect on engagement in 2020 and plan for the work ahead in 2021.

4 December 2020
Launch of the meeting report titled “Behavioural considerations for acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines” at a  press conference. The report is based on discussions held by TAG members at the plenary meeting on 15 October 2020.   

5 November 2020
Third meeting of Working Group 2: Frameworks, tools and methods.

20 October 2020
Second meeting of Working Group 2: Frameworks, tools and methods.

15 October 2020 (Plenary Meeting)
Third technical meeting of the TAG to discuss the acceptance and uptake of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. This meeting was organized in collaboration with the WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals.

29 September 2020
First meeting of Working Group 2: Frameworks, tools and methods.

24 September 2020
Fourth meeting of Working Group 1 to discuss and incorporate comments received from the entire TAG into the next draft of the principles document.

18 September 2020 (Plenary Meeting)
Second technical meeting of the TAG to provide feedback to the work of Group 1 and launch the work of Group 2. Working Group 2 is tasked to discuss and draft frameworks, tools and methods to help WHO apply behavioural insights and sciences into its work.

1 September 2020
Third meeting of Working Group 1 to prepare a draft principles document to be shared with the entire TAG for comments.

21 August 2020
Second meeting of Working Group 1: Principles of Behavioural Insights and Sciences for WHO.

17 August 2020
First meeting of Working Group 1: Principles of Behavioural Insights and Sciences for WHO.

31 July 2020 (Plenary Meeting)
First technical meeting of the TAG to discuss the group’s workplan and introduce working groups:

• Working Group 1: Principles of Behavioural Insights and Sciences for WHO, 8 participants
• Working Group 2: Frameworks, tools and methods, 10 participants
• Working Group 3: Creating a central Behavioural Insights Unit, 6 participants

30 July 2020
WHO Director-General announces the creation of the TAG on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health at a press conference.

29 July 2020 (Plenary Meeting)
Introductory meeting and presentation of WHO’s Behavioural Insights and Sciences Initiative.