Key Social Norms Take-aways This study provides rare causal evidence that social norms around gender inequity can be shifted through a simple, scalable intervention. Small group discussions facilitated by community health workers created a space for men to reflect on and challenge harmful gender norms. The findings reinforce that changing social norms, requires peer engagement and collective dialogue, not just individual-level education.
Objectives The study aimed to assess whether the Reaching Married Adolescents in Niger intervention could reduce perceived social acceptability of inequitable gender norms among husbands of married adolescent girls, who are key decision-makers around family planning and often reinforce harmful gender norms.
Methods A four-arm cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted across 48 villages in the Dosso region of Niger, involving husband-wife dyads. Social norms were measured using a five-item scale adapted from the Gender Equitable Men Scale to assess second-order beliefs (what men believe others in their community think). Difference-in-differences hierarchical linear regression models, adjusted for baseline characteristics and attrition, were used to estimate intervention effects.
Intervention Details The Reaching Married Adolescents program was a gender-synchronized, community-based intervention delivered by trained community health workers. It included three components: gender-matched household visits to provide counseling on family planning; single-sex small group discussions for adolescent girls and husbands focused on health, gender norms, and communication; and monthly community dialogues involving religious and community leaders. Intervention arms tested each component individually and in combination.
Results Only the small group discussion arm showed a statistically significant reduction in perceived inequitable gender norms among husbands. Neither household visits nor the combination of both approaches showed significant effects on gender norms. The intervention’s impact on norms was strongest where men had the opportunity to exchange views and observe peers modeling alternative behaviors. Individualized approaches like household visits lacked these peer dynamics and did not shift norms.
Conclusions Facilitated small group discussions led by trusted community health workers can effectively shift harmful gender norms among men in conservative, low-resource settings. When designed to enable peer dialogue and social reflection, such interventions are well-positioned to transform second-order beliefs and reduce gender inequities that contribute to poor reproductive and maternal health outcomes.