Association of Male Partners’ Gender-Equitable Attitudes and Behaviors with Young Mothers’ Postpartum Family Planning and Maternal Health Outcomes in Kinshasa, DRC
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Community and household norms around male involvement, decision-making, and caregiving shape reproductive and maternal health outcomes. Programs should challenge norms that restrict men’s roles to authority figures and promote shared caregiving and decision-making to support healthier, more equitable outcomes for young families. Objectives: This study explored how male partners’ gender-equitable attitudes […]
Effects of the Momentum project on postpartum family planning norms and behaviors among married and unmarried adolescent and young first-time mothers in Kinshasa: A quasi-experimental study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Momentum project revealed that social norms regarding postpartum family planning (PPFP) remain especially restrictive for never-married adolescent mothers. While the intervention improved contraceptive behaviors across groups, it had limited influence on shifting normative expectations, descriptive norms, and personal agency—particularly among 15–19-year-olds who were never married. These findings underscore how age […]
Evaluation of the effect of the Momentum project on family planning outcomes among first-time mothers aged 15–24 years in Kinshasa, DRC
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Momentum intervention successfully shifted social norms related to postpartum family planning (FP) among first-time mothers in Kinshasa. Key social norms outcomes included increased perceived community support and descriptive and injunctive norms supporting contraceptive use. However, normative expectations (beliefs about what others think one ought to do) remained unchanged, suggesting that […]
“As young men we have a role to play in preventing sexual violence”: Development and relevance of the men with conscience intervention to prevent sexual violence
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study illustrates how social norms tied to masculinity, leadership, and gender equity can be challenged through structured, reflective interventions with young men in positions of influence. It shows that gender-transformative programming can shift deeply held beliefs about power, control, and male privilege—especially when young men are engaged as allies in […]
Using structural equation modeling to explore the pathways between a social norms-shifting intervention and couple communication for family planning in Kinshasa, DRC
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study rigorously assesses how a social norms-shifting intervention, Masculinité, Famille, et Foi (MFF), affects couple communication about family planning. While the intervention explicitly incorporated injunctive and descriptive norms, and the survey measured them as separate constructs, the analysis provides particular insight into the sequencing of social norms change. The study […]
Masculinities, Faith, and Peace in Nigeria
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Masculinities, Faith, and Peace (MFP) project in Nigeria highlights how faith-based, community-led dialogue can shift entrenched social norms around gender roles, family planning, and intimate partner violence. By reframing religious narratives through an inclusive and interfaith lens, MFP successfully challenged norms that equated masculinity with virility and sanctioned violence against […]
Masculinities, Faith and Peace Project Baseline Report: Quantitative Data Analysis Report.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Masculinities, Faith, and Peace (MFP) baseline study highlights key gaps between personal attitudes and perceived social norms related to family planning (FP), gender roles, and intimate partner violence (IPV) in Plateau State, Nigeria. Individuals often hold more progressive views than they believe others in their community do, suggesting misperceptions that […]
The impact of an intervention to prevent intimate partner violence against women in Tanzania: findings from the MAISHA cluster randomised controlled trial
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study provides strong evidence that adolescent girls’ perceptions of gendered social norms—particularly around marriage and education—are predictive of their expectations for their own futures. Norms around when girls should marry, whether education is valuable for them, and whether they are expected to work or stay home shape their aspirations and […]
“On the Wings of Wishes” (Icchedana), Adolescent Girls in Bangladesh Taking Flight Using A Social Behavioral Change Communication Program to Address Child Marriage Related Social Norms: A Longitudinal Panel Study.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that social norms change is possible through targeted communication efforts but remains uneven across groups. While personal beliefs (injunctive norms) can shift—particularly among fathers—community-level perceptions (descriptive norms) often persist. Interventions must explicitly target reference groups and address the perceived social consequences of norm-breaking to create an enabling environment […]
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 […]