Inequitable gender norms and its associated factors among university students in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study, 2022
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Inequitable gender norms remain widely endorsed among university students in southern Ethiopia and are strongly shaped by gender socialization processes, particularly among men. These norms normalize male dominance, women’s subservience, and acceptance of gender-based violence, with implications for sexual and reproductive health, access to services, and broader gender inequality. Importantly, attitudes […]
Factors Influencing Professional Help-Seeking Intentions for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Among Female University Students in Eswatini
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly perceived approval from significant others (subjective norms)—are the strongest drivers of help-seeking intentions among SGBV survivors. Norms that normalize silence, stigma, or tolerance of violence discourage professional help-seeking, while supportive social environments can facilitate it. Shifting community norms and increasing visible support for survivors are critical to improving help-seeking […]
The role of community-level men’s and women’s inequitable gender norms on women’s empowerment in India: A multilevel analysis using India’s National Family Health Survey-5
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Community-level gender norms—held by both men and women—play a critical and independent role in shaping women’s empowerment. Inequitable norms that justify wife-beating reflect broader patriarchal expectations and are associated with reduced mobility, decision-making power, and health knowledge among women. Importantly, the similar effects of men’s and women’s norms highlight that the […]
Gender beliefs and norms underlying intimate partner violence stigma among women living in Botswana: Results of an exploratory factor analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gendered social norms—particularly those endorsing male dominance and survivor-blaming—play a central role in shaping intimate partner violence (IPV) stigma. These norms reduce disclosure and help-seeking while exacerbating poor mental health outcomes among survivors. Community-level norms are especially influential, indicating that interventions must target broader social environments, not just individual attitudes. Objectives: […]
Intimate partner violence trajectories over a 1-year period in a population-based cohort of women in Kenya: associations with individual and community normative factors.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms that justify intimate partner violence (IPV) play a critical and “activating” role in shaping IPV risk. In contexts where IPV justification is more normative, individual and household risk factors become less predictive, suggesting that normative environments strongly condition behavior. Women’s own endorsement of IPV justification at the community level […]
Uncovering community needs regarding violence against women and girls in southern Ethiopia: An explorative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Violence against women and girls (VAWG) in southern Ethiopia is strongly shaped by social norms that normalize or tolerate certain forms of violence—especially intimate partner violence (IPV)—and place blame on survivors. Community expectations often encourage women to tolerate abuse and discourage reporting due to stigma, fear of gossip, and pressure to […]
USAID Zambia Community HIV Prevention Project (USAID Z-CHPP) Quarterly Report
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This project intentionally worked to promote protective social norms related to HIV prevention, gender, and sexual health, especially among adolescent girls and young women. It engaged cultural gatekeepers, traditional leaders, and male role models to foster dialogue on beliefs and practices that increase vulnerability to HIV, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence. […]
“Out there it’s YOLO”: Youth perspectives on a mass media HIV- and gender-based violence campaign in South Africa
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The ZAZI intervention demonstrates that using culturally relevant, multimedia campaigns—such as music videos—can challenge and shift social norms that constrain young women’s agency in South Africa. By positioning young women as active agents in their own narratives and confronting norms around sexual silence, gender inequality, and stigma, the campaign promoted collective […]
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Using Gender-Transformative Approaches at a Community Level in Rural Tanzania: The UZIKWASA Program
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that addressing intimate partner violence (IPV) through gender-transformative, community-level approaches can shift harmful norms surrounding masculinity, femininity, and violence. While the article does not frame its analysis using formal social norms theory (e.g., injunctive or descriptive norms), it provides extensive qualitative evidence of prevailing expectations—such as men’s authority […]
Exploring intersections of localised gender norms and unanticipated effects of a sexual and reproductive health intervention: implications of respect and being a ‘good girl’ in Zambézia Province, Mozambique
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that deeply held gender norms about being a “good girl” — including deference, modesty, and sexual restraint — strongly shaped how a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) intervention was perceived in rural Mozambique. While the Women First program aimed to empower girls, it unintentionally reinforced local expectations of […]