Evaluation of Biruh Tesfa (Bright Future) for All: A program for out-of-school girls, migrants, and domestic workers in low-income Ethiopian cities
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study highlights the importance of shifting social norms around education, gender roles, and child protection to improve outcomes for highly vulnerable urban girls in Ethiopia. Biruh Tesfa effectively engaged communities to increase girls’ school attendance and reduce harmful practices, especially around early marriage and household labor expectations. It shows that […]
Qualitative research on Breakthrough ACTION’s Advocacy Core Group Model for integrated social behavior change programming in Nigeria
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Adolescent childbearing in northern Nigeria is shaped by social norms around early marriage, gender roles, and family honor. These norms position marriage and motherhood as expected milestones for girls, often reinforced by community and family members. Premarital pregnancy is highly stigmatized, especially for girls, while boys face fewer consequences. Changing these […]
ADOLESCENT TRANSITION IN WEST AFRICA (ATWA) OUTCOME EVALUATION 2022-2023 Endline Report
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The ATWA program demonstrates that comprehensive, school- and community-based life skills education can lead to early shifts in social norms around gender and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. Although short-term changes in community-level norms were modest, significant improvements in adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes, and gender-equitable beliefs suggest that norms around […]
Engaging Men in Family Planning: Perspectives From Married Men in Loma, Togo
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study highlights that entrenched gender norms shape male engagement in family planning, particularly the belief that men should have the final say in reproductive decisions. These norms create barriers for women’s agency and complicate their autonomous use of contraception. However, men’s openness to learning and their respect for trusted community […]
‘Somali Women towards Economic Empowerment and Transformation’ (SWEET) Phase 3 Endline Evaluation Report
Key Social Norms Take-aways: While this study did not directly measure social norms, it provides evidence that media programming can shift gendered attitudes and challenge normative beliefs about women’s roles in the economy. Male listeners reported increased confidence in women’s business abilities and described changing views within peer groups about women’s rightful place being beyond […]
Community Gender Norms Change as a Part of a Multilevel Approach to Sexual Health Among Married Women in Mumbai, India
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights that key to successful change was aligning gender-equity messages with respected religious doctrine and delivering them through credible sources. Men’s attitudes shifted more rapidly, suggesting the value of engaging male authority figures. In contrast, women’s slower adoption may reflect caution due to possible negative consequences in a patriarchal […]
A Game, a Passport, and a Poster: Changing Contraceptive Attitudes, Intentions, and Behaviors Among School Girls in Urban Burkina Faso
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 […]
Changing Childbearing Norms During an Era of ART Expansion in Malawi, 2009 to 2015
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates a significant shift in community-level childbearing norms in Malawi between 2009 and 2015, particularly regarding the acceptability of parenthood for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). As access to ART expanded, societal norms evolved to become more supportive of HIV-positive childbearing, suggesting a broader process of normalization. Nonetheless, full […]
The Role of Gender Norms on Intimate Partner Violence Among Newly Married Adolescent Girls and Young Women in India: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study reveals a counterintuitive association between community-level gender norms and intimate partner violence (IPV) among newly married adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in India. Researchers used two proxy measures of social norms: (1) a community-level equitable gender attitudes index—based on AGYW’s agreement with five statements about gender roles (e.g., […]
Re-conceptualising gender and power relations for sexual and reproductive health: contrasting narratives of tradition, unity, and rights
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study reveals that gender and power relations among young adults in Malawi are shaped by competing narratives—tradition, unity, and rights—each reflecting different social norms. Traditional norms emphasize male authority and women’s obedience, but participants also expressed support for more collaborative (unity) or rights-based gender relations. The concept of “power with” […]