Implementation and evaluation of a family planning intervention engaging mothers-in-law of young women in India: a mixed methods pilot study.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around early fertility, son preference, and women’s limited autonomy are strongly reinforced by mothers-in-law (MILs) in patriarchal, patrilocal households; however, this study shows that engaging MILs directly can help shift these norms. The discussion highlights that even a light-touch intervention can begin to transform entrenched norms by reframing family […]
Navigating norms: a qualitative exploration of factors shaping contraceptive use in Senegal.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study demonstrates that social norms—particularly those surrounding marriage, childbearing, masculinity, and female obedience—are central to shaping contraceptive use in Senegal. Norms that prioritize early and continuous childbearing, equate fertility with social value, and position men as primary decision-makers constrain women’s reproductive autonomy. The discussion highlights that these norms are enforced […]
A longitudinal study examining how self-injection social norms are associated with contraceptive self-injectable interest and use in rural Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that social norms specific to contraceptive self-injection play a measurable and influential role in shaping both women’s interest in and actual uptake of self-injectable contraception. Importantly, it shows that beyond awareness and access, supportive descriptive and injunctive norms are critical for enabling women to act on their preferences. […]
Post-intervention gendered impacts and moderating factors of a government cash plus intervention for adolescents in Tanzania.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms play a critical moderating role in shaping the effectiveness of multisectoral “cash plus” interventions for adolescents. While the intervention aimed to improve livelihoods, health, and empowerment outcomes, entrenched gender norms—particularly around contraception, relationships, and service use—limited sustained behavior change. Norms influenced both access to and uptake of services, and […]
Marital control, domestic violence justification, and mental health: a study of married women in Bangladesh
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study demonstrates that social norms—particularly the justification and normalization of domestic violence and patriarchal control—are deeply embedded drivers of women’s mental health outcomes in Bangladesh. Norms that legitimize male authority and accept wife-beating under specific circumstances contribute to the internalization of abuse, reinforcing gender inequality and limiting women’s autonomy. The […]
Gender norms in sexual and reproductive health and rights: insights from young Angolan women and the development of a context-specific questionnaire (2021-2022).
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms are central to shaping young women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Angola, operating through socially shared expectations around education, autonomy, relationships, and reproduction. The study highlights that norms are unevenly supported across domains and geographies, with stronger acceptance of education and relational autonomy but weaker support […]
Support or Interference: Relational Influences on Mother’s Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices in Ghana
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly those related to infant feeding practices, gender roles, and caregiving responsibilities—play a central role in shaping exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) behaviors. Norms around infant thirst, beliefs that breastmilk alone is insufficient, and expectations that grandmothers and other relatives should guide infant feeding often lead to early introduction of water or […]
The intersection of career aspirations and family planning among women in Lagos State: a qualitative analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly those related to gender roles, spousal authority, and expectations around motherhood—play a central role in shaping women’s family planning decisions in Lagos. The discussion highlights that patriarchal norms position men as primary decision-makers in reproductive matters, often limiting women’s autonomy and requiring spousal approval for contraceptive use. At the […]
Assessing the application of adapted theory of planned behaviour in predicting postpartum family planning intentions in a pragmatic randomized control trial in Western Kenya
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—captured as perceived normative beliefs and partner/community expectations—are a central driver of postpartum family planning (PPFP) intentions. The study shows that women are more likely to intend to use PPFP when they perceive approval and support from significant others (e.g., partners, family, providers). Normative beliefs operate alongside attitudes and perceived […]
Validating measurement of social norms for entertainment-education: a five-factor model
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms are multi-dimensional constructs that must be measured across distinct but related domains—descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and outcome expectations—to fully capture how they influence behavior. The study underscores that norms are not a single unified concept but operate through different pathways, including perceptions of what others do, what others approve […]