Using behavior change communication to lead a comprehensive family planning program: the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) explicitly integrates social norms into its behavior change communication strategy, guided by the theory of ideation. The project focuses on transforming beliefs, attitudes, and social expectations—particularly around family size, spousal consent, and acceptability of contraceptive use—by using mass media, community mobilization, and interpersonal communication. […]
Gender norms and modern contraceptive use in urban Nigeria: a multilevel longitudinal study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that gender-equitable norms—particularly attitudes supporting shared household decision-making, joint family planning decisions, and family planning self-efficacy—significantly influence women’s adoption and sustained use of modern contraceptives in urban Nigeria. Importantly, neighborhood-level gender norms also matter: living in a community where gender-equitable attitudes are prevalent increases the likelihood of contraceptive […]
A qualitative exploration of the salience of MTV-Shuga, an edutainment programme, and adolescents’ engagement with sexual and reproductive health information in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Key Social Norms Take-aways: MTV Shuga Down South demonstrates how mass media can catalyze shifts in social norms related to HIV, gender dynamics, and sexual health by sparking peer dialogue and promoting reflection among young people. The show’s impact hinged on its ability to normalize conversations about taboo topics and present relatable scenarios that challenged […]
Rape Prevention Through Empowerment of Adolescent Girls
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study underscores the power of individual-level empowerment to shift social norms around sexual violence. By teaching adolescent girls to assert their boundaries, resist coercion, and speak out, the intervention helped dismantle norms of silence and victim-blaming. Increased disclosure and the use of verbal resistance signaled changing expectations about girls’ agency […]
Evaluation of the effect of the Momentum project on family planning outcomes among first-time mothers aged 15–24 years in Kinshasa, DRC
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Momentum intervention successfully shifted social norms related to postpartum family planning (FP) among first-time mothers in Kinshasa. Key social norms outcomes included increased perceived community support and descriptive and injunctive norms supporting contraceptive use. However, normative expectations (beliefs about what others think one ought to do) remained unchanged, suggesting that […]
Effects of the Momentum project on postpartum family planning norms and behaviors among married and unmarried adolescent and young first-time mothers in Kinshasa: A quasi-experimental study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The Momentum project revealed that social norms regarding postpartum family planning (PPFP) remain especially restrictive for never-married adolescent mothers. While the intervention improved contraceptive behaviors across groups, it had limited influence on shifting normative expectations, descriptive norms, and personal agency—particularly among 15–19-year-olds who were never married. These findings underscore how age […]
Association of Male Partners’ Gender-Equitable Attitudes and Behaviors with Young Mothers’ Postpartum Family Planning and Maternal Health Outcomes in Kinshasa, DRC
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Community and household norms around male involvement, decision-making, and caregiving shape reproductive and maternal health outcomes. Programs should challenge norms that restrict men’s roles to authority figures and promote shared caregiving and decision-making to support healthier, more equitable outcomes for young families. Objectives: This study explored how male partners’ gender-equitable attitudes […]
Determining the most significant changes on intergenerational communication and young people’s family planning and reproductive health outcomes: Qualitative evaluation of the Merci Mon Héros media campaign in Niger and Cote d’Ivoire
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study directly explored social norms by examining how community members perceived changes in what people believe should be done (injunctive norms) and what others are doing (descriptive norms) regarding adolescent reproductive health and intergenerational communication. It found early evidence of shifting norms: adults and youth described increased comfort and empathy […]
Evaluating a youth-designed sexual and reproductive health mass and social media campaign in Cote d’Ivoire: triangulation of three independent evaluations
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that youth-led storytelling can shift harmful social norms around adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) by breaking taboos and modeling supportive adult-youth communication. The Merci Mon Héros (MMH) campaign highlighted how personal narratives and public expressions of gratitude can challenge stigma, encourage open dialogue, and promote new, positive […]
Estimating the Cost of the Design, Production, and Dissemination of Social Media Videos for Social and Behavioral Change: Evidence From Merci Mon Héros in Niger and Côte d’Ivoire
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the role of youth-led media in challenging taboos and social norms around reproductive health (RH) and family planning (FP) in Francophone West Africa. By sharing personal stories and thanking supportive adults, the Merci Mon Héros (MMH) videos promoted open intergenerational communication, helping to normalize RH conversations. The campaign […]