Situational context of home-based sexual education in urban slums of Ibadan, Nigeria–evidence from a qualitative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—including expectations of abstinence, gender double standards, and cultural taboos surrounding sexuality—shape parent–adolescent communication about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in urban slums. These norms often limit open discussion and reinforce unequal gender expectations, while adolescents increasingly rely on peers, “streetwise” knowledge, and social media for SRH information. Effective sexuality […]
Child marriages in Senegal: Qualitative study on the perceptions of adolescents in Kaolack and Gossas
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Child marriage in Senegal is sustained by deeply rooted patriarchal gender norms that prioritize family honor, control of girls’ sexuality, and male authority in decision-making. Social expectations about preserving girls’ virginity, avoiding premarital pregnancy, and maintaining family reputation create pressure on families to marry girls early. These norms interact with poverty […]
Uncovering community needs regarding violence against women and girls in southern Ethiopia: An explorative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Violence against women and girls (VAWG) in southern Ethiopia is strongly shaped by social norms that normalize or tolerate certain forms of violence—especially intimate partner violence (IPV)—and place blame on survivors. Community expectations often encourage women to tolerate abuse and discourage reporting due to stigma, fear of gossip, and pressure to […]
How adolescent motherhood is perceived and influenced by sociocultural factors: A sociological qualitative study of Sindh province, Pakistan
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study shows that strong social norms surrounding early marriage, fertility, and women’s roles drive adolescent motherhood in rural Sindh, Pakistan. Girls are expected to marry soon after puberty and prove their value in the family by becoming mothers quickly—often by producing sons. Extended family members, particularly older women, reinforce these […]
Psychosocial determinants of parents’ intention to support reproductive health education in Ghana
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Parents’ intentions to support reproductive health education (RHE) in Ghana are strongly shaped by social norms, particularly perceptions of whether influential figures such as religious leaders, community leaders, spouses, and peers approve of or support the program. Both descriptive norms (beliefs about whether others support RHE) and injunctive norms (beliefs about […]
The comparison of comprehensive sexuality education knowledge and attitudes in CSE-exposed and CSE-naïve non-formal settings in Lagos State, Nigeria
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in non-formal educational settings can help shift social norms by increasing adolescents’ knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and promoting more inclusive gender attitudes. However, the study shows that deeply entrenched gender norms persist, indicating that sustained and more intensive interventions may be needed to meaningfully transform […]
Socio-cultural context of adolescent sexuality and youth friendly service intervention in West Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study reveals that entrenched socio-cultural and religious norms in Northwest Ethiopia strongly disapprove of premarital sex, discourage adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service use, and inhibit open communication about sexuality between adolescents and adults. While the study does not use formal social norms theory or measurements (e.g., injunctive or […]
USAID Zambia Community HIV Prevention Project (USAID Z-CHPP) Quarterly Report
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This project intentionally worked to promote protective social norms related to HIV prevention, gender, and sexual health, especially among adolescent girls and young women. It engaged cultural gatekeepers, traditional leaders, and male role models to foster dialogue on beliefs and practices that increase vulnerability to HIV, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence. […]
“Out there it’s YOLO”: Youth perspectives on a mass media HIV- and gender-based violence campaign in South Africa
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The ZAZI intervention demonstrates that using culturally relevant, multimedia campaigns—such as music videos—can challenge and shift social norms that constrain young women’s agency in South Africa. By positioning young women as active agents in their own narratives and confronting norms around sexual silence, gender inequality, and stigma, the campaign promoted collective […]
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Using Gender-Transformative Approaches at a Community Level in Rural Tanzania: The UZIKWASA Program
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that addressing intimate partner violence (IPV) through gender-transformative, community-level approaches can shift harmful norms surrounding masculinity, femininity, and violence. While the article does not frame its analysis using formal social norms theory (e.g., injunctive or descriptive norms), it provides extensive qualitative evidence of prevailing expectations—such as men’s authority […]