Patriarchy and gender-inequitable attitudes as drivers of intimate partner violence against women in the central region of Ghana.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study shows that IPV in this context is not just individual behavior but part of a broader social system supported by patriarchal norms, rigid gender hierarchies, and notions of male authority. Successful prevention efforts must directly target these social norms, emphasizing community-wide change, the transformation of masculine ideals, and the […]
The Saleema initiative in Sudan to abandon female genital mutilation: Outcomes and dose response effects
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Saleema Initiative in Sudan demonstrates the power of branding and social marketing to shift entrenched social norms supporting female genital mutilation. By promoting a new social identity around uncut girls and fostering public discourse, Saleema reduced the perception that cutting is a common or socially accepted practice. The initiative’s success […]
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. […]
You must first save her life’: Community perceptions towards induced abortion and post-abortion care in North and South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Despite restrictive legal, structural, and socio-normative contexts in the DRC, this study highlights community attitudes toward abortion as multifaceted rather than wholly condemnatory. While abortion stigma is widespread—rooted in moral, religious, and gendered ideals about womanhood and motherhood—community discussions revealed empathy for women who induce abortions in specific contexts, such as […]
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 […]
Redefining Norms to Empower Women: Experiences and Lessons Learned
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights how challenging entrenched social norms around male aggression in intimate relationships requires not only community visibility but also strategies that shift both multiple types of norms. While the use of physical and verbal aggression remained prevalent in Sri Lanka’s plantation communities, early signs of weakening norms—particularly those related […]
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 […]