Effects of Gender Role Beliefs on Social Connectivity and Marital Safety: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Study Among Married Adolescent Girls in India.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Progressive gender role beliefs—supporting female marital choice, shared household decision-making, male involvement in childcare, and rejecting the acceptability of marital violence—are associated with improved social and digital connectivity, greater freedom of movement, and enhanced safety from marital violence among married adolescent girls. This underscores the importance of transforming restrictive gender norms […]
Drivers of child marriage in specific settings of Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia – findings from the Yes I Do! baseline study.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Child marriage across six countries is not just a standalone practice but a reflection of deeper social norms, especially around girls’ sexuality, family honour, and gender roles. In many cases, marriage is seen as a necessary response to prevent or cover up premarital sex or pregnancy. These norms are reinforced by […]
Drivers of child marriages for girls: A prospective study in a low-income African set.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This research underscores that interventions solely focused on boosting girls’ agency or spreading legal awareness are unlikely to substantially reduce child marriage rates. Instead, changing community-level social norms — especially caregivers’ and community leaders’ attitudes toward the acceptability of early marriage — and expanding girls’ real-life opportunities, particularly in education, are […]
Community Gender Norms and Gender Gaps in Adolescent Agency in Nepal
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that community-level gender norms significantly shape adolescent agency and gender gaps in Nepal. In communities with more gender-equitable norms, adolescent girls show greater gains in intrinsic and instrumental agency compared to boys, reversing or narrowing traditional gender gaps. However, these norms are not uniformly associated with all forms […]
Changing Social Norms in Somalia: Baseline Report on CHANGES Project Addressing Women Empowerment, Female Circumcision and Early Marriage
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The CHANGES baseline shows that while harmful practices like female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage remain prevalent in Somalia, there is a mismatch between people’s perceptions and actual behaviors. Many overestimate child marriage rates and underestimate opposition to FGM/C. This gap presents a key opportunity for social norms change—interventions must […]
Associations between village-level norms on marital age and marital choice outcomes among adolescent wives in rural Niger.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that addressing early and forced marriage in Niger requires shifting the broader social environment — particularly the norms among men that shape marital practices — rather than only focusing on girls’ empowerment or individual beliefs. While engaging men is crucial for changing norms, interventions must be designed carefully […]
An exploration of gender-based violence in eastern Myanmar in the context of political transition: findings from a qualitative sexual and reproductive health assessment.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the persistent and deeply embedded gender norms in eastern Myanmar that sustain gender-based violence (GBV) and limit women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights, despite political transitions. Norms surrounding male dominance, early marriage, domestic violence, and restrictions on adolescent girls’ access to SRH services were consistently […]
An Exploration of Social Norms That Restrict Girls’ Sexuality and Facilitate Child Marriage in Bangladesh to Inform Policies and Programs
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study underscores that persistent social norms designed to control adolescent girls’ sexuality are central to the continuation of child marriage in rural Bangladesh. Norms that restrict girls’ mobility, prohibit interaction with male peers, and exclude girls from decision-making around their own marriage are driven by concerns about family honor and […]
Adolescent girls trapped in early marriage social norm in rural Ethiopia: A vignette-based qualitative exploration
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Early marriage in rural Ethiopia is upheld by strong social norms enforced by peers, parents, marriage brokers, and community members. Girls are expected to accept early marriage proposals—often seen as rare opportunities—and refusal can result in stigma, isolation, or even coercion. These norms persist due to conditional preferences: individuals conform because […]
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Ethiopia and Rwanda: A Qualitative Exploration of the Role of Social Norms
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms in Ethiopia and Rwanda heavily shape adolescents’ experiences of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), with gender playing a central role. Norms around puberty, sexuality, menstruation, marriage, and sexual violence impose greater restrictions and expectations on girls than boys. Girls are expected to remain sexually “pure” and are held responsible […]