Using Vignettes to Gain Insights Into Social Norms Related to Voluntary Family Planning and Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms in South Sudan strongly shape family planning (FP) behaviors through entrenched patriarchy, pronatalist expectations, and community enforcement mechanisms. Male authority over reproductive decisions and the expectation of large families restrict women’s agency and link contraceptive use to stigma, violence, and moral suspicion. However, emerging supportive norms—such as valuing girls’ […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
“Everyone has their own problems and realities so the religious community cannot judge someone.” Contraception motivations and perceived consequences among young contraceptive users who practice a religion in Burkina Faso
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Religious norms in Burkina Faso commonly frame contraception as sinful or unacceptable—especially for unmarried women and for limiting births—creating strong injunctive norms against contraceptive use. However, young women often prioritize their health, economic realities, and fear of stigma from premarital pregnancy over these religious prescriptions. Because contraception is viewed as a […]
“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 […]
Caregiver attitudes towards HIV testing and contraceptive services for adolescents in Tanzania
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around adolescent sexuality, parental authority, and family communication strongly shape adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Caregivers widely endorsed norms that adolescents are “too young for sex” and should not seek SRH services without parental knowledge, which discourages independent access to contraception. In contrast, HIV testing […]
Situational context of home-based sexual education in urban slums of Ibadan, Nigeria–evidence from a qualitative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—including expectations of abstinence, gender double standards, and cultural taboos surrounding sexuality—shape parent–adolescent communication about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in urban slums. These norms often limit open discussion and reinforce unequal gender expectations, while adolescents increasingly rely on peers, “streetwise” knowledge, and social media for SRH information. Effective sexuality […]
Child marriages in Senegal: Qualitative study on the perceptions of adolescents in Kaolack and Gossas
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Child marriage in Senegal is sustained by deeply rooted patriarchal gender norms that prioritize family honor, control of girls’ sexuality, and male authority in decision-making. Social expectations about preserving girls’ virginity, avoiding premarital pregnancy, and maintaining family reputation create pressure on families to marry girls early. These norms interact with poverty […]
Association between gender norms and attitudes towards abortion among very young adolescents in Kenya and Nigeria: a quantitative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms are formed early in adolescence and significantly shape attitudes toward abortion and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Among very young adolescents (VYAs), beliefs related to sexual double standards, normative heterosexual relationships, and romantic expectations influence whether adolescents support or reject abortion. The study highlights that early socialisation into gender […]