Evaluation of the Responsible, Engaged, and Loving (REAL) Fathers Initiative on Physical Child Punishment and Intimate Partner Violence in Northern Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The REAL Fathers Initiative demonstrates that targeting social norms around masculinity, fatherhood, and discipline through mentoring can significantly reduce intimate partner violence and physical child punishment. The intervention worked by addressing norms that justify violence in parenting and relationships, encouraging reflection on gender roles and expanding the perceived responsibilities of fathers. […]
A church-based intervention for families to promote mental health and prevent HIV among adolescents in rural Kenya: Results of a randomized trial
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the role of family and church-based relationships in shaping social norms around adolescent mental health and HIV prevention. The intervention fostered shifts in injunctive norms by reinforcing open communication, gender-equitable attitudes, and joint problem-solving within families. By situating the program within trusted church settings and engaging both adolescents […]
Gender norms, poverty and armed conflict in Cote D’Ivoire: engaging men in womens social and economic empowerment programming
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study underscores that addressing social norms about masculinity, power, and gender roles is crucial when designing interventions to reduce IPV. In contexts where men’s sense of identity is tightly linked to their economic role, programs must thoughtfully challenge inequitable norms while supporting men and women together. Combining economic empowerment with […]
Provide care for everyone please’: engaging community leaders as sexual and reproductive health advocates in North and South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the powerful role that community leaders play in reinforcing or challenging social norms around contraception, abortion, and post-abortion care in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Leaders upheld strong negative attitudes and stigmatizing beliefs about induced abortion, shaped by cultural, religious, and legal norms. However, they also saw […]
Effect of a gender-synchronized family planning intervention on inequitable gender norms in a cluster randomized control trial among husbands of married adolescent girls in Dosso, Niger
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study provides rare causal evidence that social norms around gender inequity can be shifted through a simple, scalable intervention. Small group discussions facilitated by community health workers created a space for men to reflect on and challenge harmful gender norms. The findings reinforce that changing social norms, requires peer engagement […]
Mediating effects of inequitable gender norms on intimate partner violence and contraceptive use in a cluster randomized control trial in Niger: A causal inference mediation analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study provides experimental evidence that changes in perceived inequitable gender norms among men can partially explain reductions in intimate partner violence. However, it also shows that such norms may hinder improvements in contraceptive use if not addressed. Social norms, particularly men’s perceptions of what their peers believe about gender roles, […]
Effects of the reaching married adolescents program on modern contraceptive use and intimate partner violence: results of a cluster randomized controlled trial among married adolescent girls and their husbands in Dosso, Niger
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that changing gender norms requires different strategies depending on the outcome of interest. Household visits increased contraceptive use, likely by addressing misinformation and providing private support, while small group sessions were more effective in reducing intimate partner violence by creating space for critical reflection on shared gender norms. […]
Process and impact evaluation of a community gender equality intervention with young men in Rajasthan, India
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This evaluation highlights that individual-level shifts in gender norms are possible when young men are engaged in safe, reflective, and participatory group settings. The intervention catalyzed changes in attitudes and self-perceptions around masculinity, violence, and relationships. However, these internal shifts were constrained by broader social pressures—community norms lagged behind, limiting young […]
Prévenir les mariages précoces et forcés au Bénin (PROJEUNES)
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The PROJEUNES (Preventing early and forced marriage in Benin) project demonstrated that addressing early and forced marriage (EFM) in Benin requires shifting deeply entrenched social norms that define girls’ value in terms of marriageability and fertility. The project successfully fostered critical reflection among youth and community actors, challenging beliefs that favor […]
Gender Norms, Violence and Adolescent girls’ Trajectories: Evidence from a Field Experiment in India
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study underscores the central role of social norms linked to gender roles, marriage, and family honor in shaping adolescent girls’ agency and decision-making in rural West Bengal. Norms that prioritize early marriage, family reputation, and male authority constrain girls’ autonomy, particularly around education, mobility, and sexuality. Shifting these norms requires […]