Key Social Norms Take-aways The intervention showed that social norms around family planning and gender roles can shift through coordinated efforts targeting both individuals and communities. Changes in perceived peer norms, such as the belief that friends support contraceptive use, and shifts in gender role expectations within the household played a critical role in influencing women’s contraceptive intentions. The findings emphasize that norms about spousal communication and the acceptability of family planning, when reinforced through both health system actors and community leaders, are central to enabling women’s reproductive autonomy.
Objectives The evaluation aimed to assess the impact of the Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced project’s gender and social norms component on contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, use, and norms among women and men in rural Burkina Faso.
Methods The evaluation used a quasi-experimental design with matched intervention and comparison groups. Quantitative surveys were conducted at baseline and endline among women aged 15–49 and their partners, measuring knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and norms related to family planning. Qualitative data collection, including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, provided insights into mechanisms of change and community perceptions.
Intervention Details The intervention, implemented by Pathfinder International as part of the Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced initiative, aimed to improve family planning uptake through social norms change. Activities included gender-synchronized community dialogues, couple counseling, engagement with religious and traditional leaders, health worker training, and mass communication. The program worked at multiple levels—individual, couple, community, and health system—focusing on improving communication, challenging harmful norms, and reinforcing supportive behaviors related to contraception.
Results Women in intervention communities demonstrated higher contraceptive knowledge, more gender-equitable attitudes, and greater intention to use contraception compared to those in control communities. There were significant improvements in joint decision-making, perceived support from peers, and spousal communication. Women reported that friends and respected community figures increasingly endorsed family planning. Despite these gains, actual contraceptive use remained relatively low, suggesting that intention-behavior gaps persist and may require more sustained efforts.
Conclusions The intervention successfully influenced social norms and ideational factors around family planning, laying a foundation for longer-term behavioral change. Building trust, encouraging couple communication, and engaging influencers were critical strategies. For deeper impact, programs should continue to reinforce new norms and address remaining structural and access barriers to family planning services.