Key Social Norms Take-aways The Masculinities, Faith, and Peace (MFP) project in Nigeria highlights how faith-based, community-led dialogue can shift entrenched social norms around gender roles, family planning, and intimate partner violence. By reframing religious narratives through an inclusive and interfaith lens, MFP successfully challenged norms that equated masculinity with virility and sanctioned violence against women. The intervention showed that social norms change is possible when trusted community leaders engage in value-based reflection and facilitate open, collective dialogue. Particularly impactful were changes in injunctive norms—perceptions of what others in a community, especially religious leaders, approve of—demonstrating the powerful influence of reference groups on behavior and belief.
Objectives The project aimed to promote gender equity, reduce gender-based violence, increase modern family planning use, and strengthen interfaith cohesion by transforming harmful gender and social norms through faith-based approaches.
Methods MFP used a mixed-methods, research-led evaluation, including baseline and endline surveys and qualitative interviews. Surveys assessed shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and social norms across intervention and control congregations. Qualitative interviews provided insight into the lived experience of social norms and community change.
Intervention Details Implemented from 2018–2021 in Plateau State, Nigeria, MFP adapted Tearfund’s Transforming Masculinities curriculum to include Islamic interpretations and a focus on interfaith dialogue. The intervention used community dialogues, sermons, testimonies, and health talks led by trained Gender Champions and faith leaders. Couples met separately and together across nine sessions, with a final health talk linking participants to family planning services. Community mobilization, peacebuilding training, and shared celebrations promoted broader diffusion of values and cohesion.
Results In MFP congregations, emotional IPV decreased by 22.2% and the justification of IPV declined by 14.3%, significantly more than in control groups. Male contributions to household work increased by 7.2% and favorable attitudes toward men’s involvement in childcare and chores rose significantly. Although increases in family planning use were not statistically significant compared to controls, perceived access, self-efficacy, and couple communication improved. Descriptive and injunctive norms related to family planning, male engagement, and non-violence shifted positively. Interfaith mistrust and conflict perceptions dropped by nearly 20 percentage points.
Conclusions MFP demonstrated that engaging faith leaders and community members in structured, scripturally grounded dialogue can catalyze meaningful change in gender and social norms. The project’s success in reducing IPV, promoting equitable gender roles, and fostering interfaith cooperation illustrates the potential of values-based, locally tailored approaches to reshape community expectations and behaviors.