Qualitative endline results of the tipping point project to prevent child, early and forced marriage in Nepal
Outcomes: Child, Early, and Forced Marriage, Gender‑Based Violence, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Women’s Economic Empowerment
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways Organized diffusion is essential for shifting social norms around intimate partner violence (IPV). This study demonstrates that interpersonal diffusion of anti-violence messaging can lead to meaningful change, particularly in communities with less equitable baseline norms. Social networks play a central role in facilitating this change, highlighting the importance of targeting interventions to communities with greater need.
Objectives To examine how diffusion of a social norms intervention influences changes in injunctive norms related to IPV in Nepal.
Methods A longitudinal, repeated cross-sectional cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted across 36 wards in three districts. The study used general linear models to analyze whether midline diffusion of intervention messages was associated with endline changes in injunctive norms, as measured by the Partner Violence Norms Scale (PVNS).
Intervention Details The “Change Starts at Home” intervention included weekly radio dramas, listening and discussion groups (LDGs) for men and women, and community engagement activities over nine months. LDGs followed a structured curriculum addressing gender roles, IPV, communication, and community activism. Participants were encouraged to share messages within their networks, and LDG members organized 108 outreach activities.
Results Each additional person reached through diffusion was associated with a 0.04-point increase in endline norms scores (p < 0.01), adjusting for baseline norms and covariates. This effect was significant only in communities with less equitable baseline norms. Communities with higher average education and more lower-caste individuals showed greater positive change, while more ethnically diverse communities showed less improvement. Conclusions: The study provides strong evidence that diffusion is a key pathway for social norms change and intervention scale-up. It highlights the importance of designing interventions that not only deliver content but also promote interpersonal discussion and sharing. Targeting communities with lower baseline gender equity may yield the most substantial change, especially when interventions are designed to foster organized diffusion through trusted social networks.
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