‘You have a child who will call you “mama”’: Understanding Adolescent Pregnancy in South Sudan
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms in South Sudan deeply value motherhood as a marker of adulthood and worth, shaping girls’ choices and aspirations. Effective interventions must go beyond preventing adolescent pregnancy to challenge the underlying social and gender norms, create supportive environments, and offer alternative pathways for girls to achieve respect, security, and fulfillment […]
“Take this shame away from me!”: A qualitative study of the social norms surrounding abortion experiences among adolescent girls and young women in Benin
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Benin navigate abortion decisions and care in a context of profound normative pressure, shaped by a “triple normative burden”: the stigmatization of premarital pregnancy, lack of access to comprehensive sexuality education, and strong moral and religious condemnation of abortion. These norms are reinforced by […]
A Deviance Approach to Understanding Use of Maternal Health Care Services in Bangladesh
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study illustrates how social norms at the community level—and how individuals deviate from them—play a significant role in shaping maternal health care utilization in Bangladesh. The concept of “positive” and “negative” deviance is used to understand how individuals who differ from prevailing community norms experience different health outcomes. Women who […]
‘A cut woman is the pride of all her relatives’: a situation analysis of female genital mutilation in Mali
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Female genital mutilation in Mali is upheld by strong social norms tied to identity, tradition, and group belonging. The practice is often seen as a rite of passage and a requirement for girls to be recognized as full members of their community. Being cut is associated with honor, pride, and social […]
‘I wanted to enjoy our marriage first… but I got pregnant right away’: a qualitative study of family planning understandings and decisions of women in urban Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights how social norms around marriage, fertility, and womanhood shape postpartum family planning in urban Yogyakarta. There was a strong expectation that women should become pregnant soon after marriage, particularly among those who married in their late twenties or thirties. These norms often overrode women’s personal desires to delay […]
“Potential of organizing unmarried adolescent girls and young women into self-help groups for a better transition to adulthood: Findings from a cross-sectional study in India”
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study illustrates how gender norms and structural inequalities restrict adolescent girls’ and young women’s (AGYW) agency in rural India. Social norms that limit girls’ mobility, financial autonomy, and decision-making power are significant barriers. However, organizing AGYW into self-help groups (YWSHGs) creates a platform that enables shifts in these norms. Girls […]
Ring your future, without changing diaper – Can preventing teenage pregnancy address child marriage in Zambia?
Key Social Norms Take-aways: In Eastern Zambia, social and gender norms play a major role in driving both teenage pregnancy and child marriage. Cultural expectations around early sexual debut, family honor, and the role of girls as wives and mothers push young people—especially girls—into early sexual activity and marriage. Initiation ceremonies, transactional relationships, and stigma […]
“We Don’t Fear HIV. We Just Fear Walking around Pregnant.”: A Qualitative Analysis of Adolescent Sexuality and Pregnancy Stigma in Informal Settlements in Kisumu, Kenya.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: In Kisumu, Kenya, adolescent girls face intense social stigma around sexuality and pregnancy, with pregnancy seen as the most feared and shame-inducing consequence of sexual activity. Unlike HIV—which is viewed as treatable—pregnancy visibly signals sexual behavior and attracts harsh judgment from families, communities, and healthcare providers. These stigmas suppress open dialogue, […]
Early Marriage, Social Networks, and the Transmission of Norms
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study finds that early marriage contributes to the transmission and reinforcement of traditional gender norms in Bangladesh, shaping women’s beliefs and weakening their social networks. Women who marry earlier are more likely to agree with gender-biased statements and report fewer progressive role models in their networks. Crucially, the study tested […]
“He is suitable for her, of course he is our relative”: a qualitative exploration of the drivers and implications of child marriage in Gezira State
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Child marriage in this context is upheld by deeply rooted beliefs about gender, honour, and religion. Real change will require engaging religious leaders, men, and entire communities to challenge the idea that girls’ futures are determined by others. Programs must prioritize girls’ voices and promote their right to make informed choices […]