Adolescents’ capabilities and aspirations across gender and generations in Amhara, Ethiopia
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that despite progressive policy reforms across three Ethiopian political regimes, persistent gender norms—particularly those around early marriage, ideal femininity, and sexual purity—continued to shape and constrain adolescent girls’ capabilities and aspirations. Social norms rooted in cultural and religious beliefs often superseded formal protections and legal frameworks. Notably, the […]
Abortion as agentive action: reproductive agency among young women seeking post-abortion care in Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: In Uganda, restrictive gender norms, social stigma, and patriarchal power dynamics profoundly shape how young women experience unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion. While abortion is socially condemned and legally ambiguous, young women enact agency through clandestine abortions as a means of reclaiming control over their futures. The decision to abort is […]
A Qualitative Study of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women in Nigeria
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study reveals how deeply rooted patriarchal and cultural norms in Nigeria contribute to intimate partner violence (IPV). Women are expected to be submissive, defer to husbands and in-laws, and endure abuse for the sake of family honor and children. These norms discourage help-seeking and normalize suffering. Effective prevention must directly […]
A Spatial Analysis of the Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting among 0–14-Year-Old Girls in Kenya
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study provides robust evidence that social, moral, and religious norms at the community level are powerful drivers of FGM/C among girls aged 0–14 in Kenya. A mother’s circumcision status, support for continuation of the practice, and belief in its religious necessity are closely linked to her daughter’s risk of being […]
‘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 […]
“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 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 […]
Men’s Perpetration of Partner Violence in Bangladesh: Community Gender Norms and Violence in Childhood
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the powerful yet complex role of community gender norms in shaping men’s perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Bangladesh. Norms held by senior men—those aged 35–49, often household heads and community influencers—set expectations for masculinity and marital conduct. In communities where senior men endorsed more equitable gender […]