Key Social Norms Takeaways Men’s resistance to gender equality messaging is not simply opposition but reflects active negotiation of social norms. These resistance “scripts” both reinforce existing patriarchal norms and create openings for dialogue and incremental change. Social norms around male authority, respect, and acceptable violence remain deeply embedded, but the process of contestation—especially in group settings—reveals which aspects of gender relations are open to change and which remain rigid.
Objectives The study aimed to examine how men participating in an intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EMAP) engage with and resist gender equality messaging, and what this reveals about processes of social norms change.
Methods A longitudinal qualitative study (2016–2017) combined in-depth interviews, ethnographic observation of group discussions, and repeated interviews with participants and facilitators across multiple communities. Over 100 interviews and extensive fieldnotes were analyzed using thematic and focused coding. Social norms were examined through men’s discourse, including shared narratives (“scripts”) about gender roles, authority, respect, and violence, capturing both individual attitudes and collective normative expectations.
Intervention Details The EMAP programme is a 16-week gender-transformative intervention involving weekly facilitated discussion groups for men, preceded by an 8-week women’s curriculum to inform content. It aims to reduce IPV by promoting critical reflection on masculinity, gender norms, and relationships, and encouraging men to become allies to women and girls.
Results Five key resistance scripts were identified: maintaining control over change, equating respect with women’s obedience, assigning violence to “other” men, framing equality as “different but equal,” and emphasizing women’s secondary status. These scripts often coexisted with partial acceptance of programme goals (e.g., reducing violence or sharing labor). While they reinforced male dominance, they also generated debate about household roles, acceptable violence, and decision-making. Some men showed behavioral shifts (e.g., helping with domestic tasks), but typically without relinquishing authority.
Conclusions The study concludes that resistance is an integral part of social norms change rather than a barrier alone. Gender-transformative interventions must anticipate and engage with resistance as a form of meaning-making that reveals both constraints and opportunities for change. Sustainable norm change is likely to be incremental, requiring engagement with existing cultural frameworks rather than attempting to replace them outright.