Adaptation of the G-NORM (Gender norms scale) in Uganda: An examination of how gender norms are associated with reproductive health decision-making
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms are multifaceted, context-specific social norms that shape women’s reproductive health decision-making, and must be measured as distinct but related constructs—particularly descriptive norms (what people do) and injunctive norms (what people believe should be done). The discussion highlights that injunctive norms may shift more quickly than descriptive norms and are […]
Delayed pregnancy disclosure, attributed social factors and implications for antenatal care initiation: a qualitative study among Ugandan women and their partners
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around pregnancy disclosure—particularly expectations to conceal pregnancy early due to fear of judgement, stigma, and bewitchment—play a critical role in delaying access to antenatal care by limiting women’s ability to mobilize social support when it is most needed. Objectives: This study aimed to understand social norms surrounding pregnancy disclosure […]
Balancing pragmatism, norms and power relations: a qualitative study among post-abortion intrauterine device users in central Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around gender roles, fertility expectations, and male dominance in reproductive decision-making both constrain and shape women’s contraceptive use; however, women actively navigate and resist these norms through strategies such as asserting bodily autonomy, relying on pragmatic and economic reasoning, and using contraception covertly. Compassionate counselling can help shift perceived […]
Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Inequitable gender norms and the justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) are both widespread and strongly linked to experiences of childhood violence and, to a lesser extent, violence perpetration among youth in humanitarian settings. The study highlights that social norms learned early in life—particularly those normalizing male dominance and violence—reinforce cycles […]
Crossed the line’: Sexuality discourses of motherhood under 15 years in Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Motherhood under age 15 in Uganda is constructed as a violation of moral and social norms—“crossing the line”—through intertwined religious and cultural discourses that stigmatize young mothers and regulate their sexuality. These norms shape not only community attitudes but also policies and service provision, resulting in restricted access to sexual and […]
Fear-based parent-child sexual health communication in rural southwestern Uganda: drivers and influences
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Fear-based parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in rural southwestern Uganda reflects strong social norms related to family reputation, gender roles, and moral responsibility. Mothers are expected to regulate daughters’ sexuality to protect family honour, while fathers often remain emotionally distant due to norms linking masculinity with authority and […]
Do Community-Based Livelihood Interventions Affect Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Young People in Slum Areas of Uganda: A Difference-in-Difference with Kernel Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: While the intervention did not explicitly use social norms theory, it provides clear evidence of injunctive norms—what individuals believe others expect—related to gender, sexual behavior, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Survey items captured expectations around sexual agency, gender-based violence, and contraceptive responsibility. The intervention led to a decline […]
Effects of a violence prevention intervention in schools and surrounding communities: Secondary analysis of a cluster randomized-controlled trial in Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Good School Toolkit intervention effectively shifted social norms surrounding physical discipline both in schools and in surrounding communities. The study found strong reductions in caregivers’ acceptance of physical violence at school and at home, indicating that school-based interventions can catalyze wider normative change. However, changes in actual violence practices at […]
Family Factors and Gender Norms as Protective Factors Against Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls in Southern Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms, particularly traditional gender expectations that discourage premarital sex, may serve as a form of informal social control that deters sexual risk-taking. These norms, reinforced through close family bonds and socialized gender roles, play a critical role in adolescent girls’ behavioral choices. However, while traditional norms may have protective effects, […]
Gender Norms, Beliefs and Academic Achievement of Orphaned Adolescent Boys and Girls in Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study underscores how entrenched gender norms favoring boys continue to disadvantage orphaned adolescent girls in Uganda’s education system. Despite holding more egalitarian beliefs themselves, girls face societal and familial biases that prioritize boys’ academic success. Encouragingly, adolescents exposed to more gender-equitable beliefs—especially girls—were associated with better academic performance, suggesting that […]