Measuring the effects of the radio drama Impano n’Inpamba: fertility awareness and family planning results
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The evaluation of Impano n’Impamba demonstrates that entertainment-education can be a powerful vehicle for shifting knowledge and initiating dialogue around fertility awareness and family planning. While the drama increased fertility awareness and intermediate outcomes (like self-efficacy and discussion), it did not lead to statistically significant increases in modern contraceptive use. This […]
Gender-transformative Bandebereho couples’ intervention to promote male engagement in reproductive and maternal health and violence prevention in Rwanda: Findings from a randomized controlled trial
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Bandebereho intervention demonstrates that deeply entrenched gender norms—such as men’s dominance in decision-making, use of violence against women and children, and unequal household labor—can shift through a structured, gender-transformative approach. By promoting critical reflection, joint decision-making, and shared caregiving roles, the intervention disrupted patriarchal norms in a sustainable way. Male […]
Cross-national and multilevel correlates of partner violence: an analysis of data from population-based surveys
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Norms justifying wife beating and endorsing male authority over women’s behavior are strongly associated with higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). These gender norms not only influence national IPV prevalence but also modify how individual-level factors like education and employment affect women’s risk, highlighting the importance of transforming harmful norms […]
Community influences on modern contraceptive use among young women in low and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional multi-country analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Norms related to ideal family size, early marriage, and gender roles—particularly those that limit women’s autonomy—act as major barriers to contraceptive use. Changing these norms through community-wide interventions, education, and women’s empowerment is essential for increasing contraceptive access and supporting young women’s reproductive agency. Objectives: This study examined how community-level characteristics […]
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Ethiopia and Rwanda: A Qualitative Exploration of the Role of Social Norms
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms in Ethiopia and Rwanda heavily shape adolescents’ experiences of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), with gender playing a central role. Norms around puberty, sexuality, menstruation, marriage, and sexual violence impose greater restrictions and expectations on girls than boys. Girls are expected to remain sexually “pure” and are held responsible […]
‘They Say it was Her Fault… This is Not True!’ Using Vignettes With Adolescent Girls to Collectively Address Norms About Sexual Violence.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms in Rwanda around sexual violence assign blame to adolescent girls, discourage reporting, and normalize male entitlement to sex. Girls are burdened with responsibility for preventing violence, while perpetrators often benefit from social protection, particularly within families. Using vignettes allowed girls to critically reflect on and challenge these norms, revealing […]