They’ll think you’re infected’: perceived barriers and facilitators of HIV/STI awareness and testing among young Rohingya refugee women in Bangladesh
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly those linking HIV/STI testing to immorality, reinforcing male gatekeeping, and embedding stigma through religious and community surveillance—are central barriers to care. These norms operate across levels, shaping knowledge, restricting mobility, and discouraging service use. However, norms are also malleable: trusted female health workers, peer networks, and faith-aligned messaging can […]
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 […]
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: […]
Contraceptive use intention and determinants among nonuser reproductive-aged married women in Ethiopia based on the theory of planned behavior
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly perceived approval from partners and communities—play a central role in shaping contraceptive intentions. Positive subjective norms, supportive partner attitudes, and community environments that reduce stigma and encourage discussion significantly increase women’s intention to use contraception, highlighting that shifting normative climates is critical for improving reproductive autonomy and uptake. Objectives: […]
Determinants of young People’s gender norm attitudes related to rights and equity in Southeast Nigeria
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Young people in Southeast Nigeria simultaneously endorse women’s empowerment and uphold entrenched patriarchal norms—particularly male dominance in household decision-making and social roles. Social norms are shaped through family structures, education, religion, and gender socialization, demonstrating that shifts toward gender equity require addressing broader social systems, not just individual attitudes. Objectives: To […]
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 […]
A qualitative analysis of women’s reproductive agency and postpartum family planning in Maharashtra, India
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms strongly constrain postpartum family planning (PPFP) through expectations around son preference, limited female autonomy, and the perception of contraception as a sensitive and stigmatized topic. Women’s reproductive agency is often mediated by husbands and in-laws, with covert contraceptive use emerging as a strategy to navigate restrictive norms. Norms around […]
Prevalence and predictors of modern contraceptive method utilization among married couples in the pastoralist communities of Fentale district, Eastern Ethiopia
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly religious beliefs, gender roles, and expectations around fertility—strongly shape contraceptive use in pastoralist communities. Norms that value large families, discourage contraception on religious grounds, and reinforce male-dominated decision-making limit women’s agency. Misperceptions and community-level expectations further sustain low uptake, indicating that interventions must address normative beliefs and couple dynamics, […]
“I will take PrEP because that’s what will help me not to get infected with HIV”: barriers to and facilitators of pre-exposure prophylaxis and condom use among adolescent girls and young women enrolled in a school-based HIV prevention program in South Africa
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms and gendered relationship dynamics strongly influence HIV prevention behaviors among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Condom use is often constrained by norms linking condom negotiation with distrust, reduced male pleasure, and potential conflict or violence. In contrast, PrEP offers women greater agency because it can be used without […]
Social Norms and Female Labour Force Participation in Bangladesh: The Role of Social Expectations and Reference Networks
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around women’s employment in Bangladesh are shaped by social expectations within family reference networks, particularly the approval of fathers and husbands. Norms are not fixed; support for female employment changes when people perceive that others approve. Male family members’ attitudes are the most influential social cue, while peers and […]