Landscaping the behaviors, drivers and norms influencing the wellbeing of very young adolescents: an exploration of stakeholders’ perspectives in Nigeria.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Harmful gender norms and sociocultural expectations operate across multiple areas of very young adolescents’ lives in Nigeria, reinforcing early marriage, gender-based violence, girls’ economic dependency, silence around sexuality, and vaccine hesitancy. The discussion emphasizes that these behaviors are embedded in unequal social structures and sustained by stigma, community expectations, misinformation, and […]
“When the self-test kit comes with the woman, it will be like she is overpowering you”: A qualitative study of men’s and women’s perspectives on HIV self-testing kits in South Africa.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms and unequal power within intimate relationships can substantially shape whether HIV self-testing is acceptable and safely implemented. In particular, norms positioning men as household decision-makers may make woman-delivered self-test kits appear to challenge male authority, potentially provoking mistrust, conflict, blame, or violence. The authors argue that programs should assess […]
Sexual behaviors, HIV self-testing awareness, and uptake among Young People (YP) attending a Ghanaian high school.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social and gender norms may be important barriers to HIV self-testing among young people. The discussion highlights conservative community expectations around adolescent sexuality, stigma surrounding sexual health discussions, and fear of judgment as factors that may discourage young people from requesting or being seen using HIV self-testing kits. The authors also […]
Decision-Making About Abortion in an Abortion-Restricted Setting: A Qualitative Study of Young Women in Namibia.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms surrounding pregnancy, marriage, motherhood, and abortion substantially constrained young women’s reproductive decision-making. Fear of parental rejection, community gossip, stigma, and reputational damage made pregnancy outside marriage—particularly while attending school—socially unacceptable and sometimes made abortion appear to be the only viable option. The discussion emphasizes that these pressures interact with […]
Adolescent Attitudes, Peer Norms, and Teacher Corporal Punishment in Five Sub-Saharan African Countries.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Adolescents’ attitudes and their broader peer normative environments are important determinants of vulnerability to teacher corporal punishment. Schools function as “normative ecosystems”: when violent discipline is collectively accepted, it may give teachers greater social license to use it and reduce adolescents’ resistance or reporting. Legal prohibitions alone are therefore insufficient; prevention […]
Preventing unwanted pregnancy among internally displaced adolescents (15-19 years) in Nigeria.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Negative injunctive norms surrounding premarital sex and contraceptive use create stigma and discrimination that restrict adolescents’ access to contraception, even when they understand its benefits and want to prevent pregnancy. Adolescents feared being labeled “spoilt” or promiscuous for having premarital sex or seeking contraception, while service providers sometimes reinforced these norms […]
Determinants of Unsafe Abortion Practices Among Young Women in the Bongo District, Ghana.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms and stigma surrounding unintended pregnancy, abortion, contraceptive use, and young women’s sexuality strongly shape unsafe abortion practices in Bongo District. Fear of family shame, community judgment, school expulsion, partner disapproval, and breaches of confidentiality can make the social consequences of an unintended pregnancy feel more immediate than the health […]
Preparing for constructive engagement with men’s resistance to gender equality messaging: lessons from an intimate partner violence prevention programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo
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 […]
She Is a Guest in My House: Exploring the Barriers to Asset Development and Decision-Making Autonomy Among Young Women in Southern Uganda
Key Social Norms Takeaways: Deeply entrenched patriarchal social norms in Southern Uganda—reinforced through family systems, cultural expectations, and institutional practices—systematically restrict young women’s access to assets and decision-making power. Norms positioning women as dependent “guests” in their husbands’ homes and prioritizing men as providers and decision-makers shape both structural opportunities and individual agency. Critically, the […]
Impact of a multilevel HIV prevention programme on adolescent girls and young women’s empowerment for risk reduction: A mixed methods evaluation in Kenya
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study shows that gender norms are central to HIV risk and to the DREAMS theory of change, particularly norms around male authority, female submissiveness, stigma toward girls’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service use, and acceptance of violence. While DREAMS contributed to changes in girls’ confidence, aspirations, and peer support, […]