Impact of Tipping Point Initiative, a social norms intervention, in addressing child marriage and other adolescent health and behavioral outcomes in a northern district of Bangladesh
Outcomes: Child, Early, and Forced Marriage, Gender‑Based Violence, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Women’s Economic Empowerment
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways This impact evaluation explicitly examines how CARE’s Tipping Point program influenced injunctive and descriptive norms related to gender, marriage, and adolescent girls’ rights in rural Bangladesh. The study used a dedicated norms module to assess what adolescents and adults perceive others expect of them (injunctive norms) and what they believe others commonly do (descriptive norms) across five domains: mobility, marriage, education, household decision-making, and gender roles. Findings show that the program significantly shifted both types of norms. For example, in project sites, fewer adolescents and parents believed that girls must marry after puberty or remain silent in family decision-making. The program’s theory of change explicitly identifies harmful gender norms as root causes of child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM), and this evaluation provides clear evidence that a multi-level, girl-centered approach can shift collective expectations.
Objectives To evaluate the impact of the Tipping Point Phase 3 program on adolescent girls’ agency, social norms, and gendered power dynamics, with a focus on reducing drivers of child, early, and forced marriage in rural Bangladesh.
Methods A quasi-experimental mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected through surveys with 1,180 girls and 1,180 boys aged 15–19 across project and comparison sites. A norms module measured injunctive and descriptive norms. Qualitative data from focus group discussions and interviews with adolescents, parents, and gatekeepers were used to triangulate findings and capture pathways of change. Analysis included descriptive statistics, difference-in-differences estimates, and thematic coding.
Intervention Details Tipping Point Phase 3 is a gender-transformative initiative implemented by CARE and partners. It includes girl-led groups, intergenerational dialogues, community activism, and public campaigns to shift harmful gender norms and promote adolescent girls’ rights and leadership. Programming was implemented over three years in selected districts of rural Bangladesh.
Results The program led to significant improvements in girls’ agency, mobility, leadership, and access to SRH information. Shifts were observed in both injunctive and descriptive norms—particularly around girls’ participation in decisions, delayed marriage, and peer support for gender equality. Girls in project areas were more likely to challenge restrictive expectations and act collectively. Parents in project sites showed increased support for girls’ autonomy and education.
Conclusions The Tipping Point program demonstrates that gender norms are measurable and shiftable. A comprehensive, multi-level approach grounded in adolescent girls’ collective action can effectively transform both social expectations and structural barriers that sustain child marriage.
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