Gender norms, HIV risk, and attitudes towards pre-exposure prophylaxis and other HIV preventive interventions among South African adolescents.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study highlights that simply providing information is not enough; efforts to combat HIV must also address the deeply embedded gender norms and social patterns that normalize male sexual dominance and place girls at greater risk. Strengthening positive parental communication, improving school environments, and expanding youth-centered community engagement are essential strategies […]
Gender Norms, Violence in Childhood, and Men’s Coercive Control in Marriage: A Multilevel Analysis of Young Men in Bangladesh
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study uses the Gender-Equitable Men (GEM) scale to measure gender attitudes, with community-level aggregates from senior men (ages 35–49) serving as a proxy for social norms. Findings show that more equitable community gender norms are linked to less controlling behavior and more gender-equitable attitudes among junior men (ages 18–34). This […]
Forced Sex and Early Marriage: Understanding the Linkages and Norms in a Humanitarian Setting.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study highlights powerful injunctive norms in humanitarian settings that contribute to harmful practices linking rape and early marriage. In South Kivu, DRC, both adolescent girls and caregivers commonly view marriage as the appropriate response to rape—particularly when the perpetrator is known. These norms reflect and reinforce the belief that a […]
Gender inequality and the use of maternal healthcare services in rural sub-Saharan Africa
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights that social norms—specifically community-level acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV)—negatively influence women’s use of maternal healthcare services in rural sub-Saharan Africa. The findings demonstrate that these social norms operate independently of women’s individual attitudes or decision-making power, underlining the need for policy interventions that address gender norms at […]
Gender norms and health: insights from global survey data
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms—context-specific beliefs about appropriate behavior for different genders—shape health outcomes across the life course. This study highlights that non-conformity to gender norms often results in health harms, especially for girls and women. These norms intersect with religion, wealth, and geography, creating complex patterns of health inequity. Addressing gender norms is […]
Factors associated with contraceptive use in rural Nepal: Gender and decision-making
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender roles, particularly those that support shared responsibility for child-rearing, play a significant role in contraceptive use among rural couples in Nepal. While mutual spousal decision-making is often assumed to influence contraceptive uptake, this study found limited direct association. Instead, more equitable gender norms—such as men contributing to childcare and not […]
Factors associated with gender equality among church-going young men in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: A cross-sectional study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study reveals that church-going young men in Kinshasa, DRC, largely endorse inequitable gender norms, including male dominance in the home, rigid views on male sexuality, and acceptance of violence against women. While some supported equitable norms—such as joint decision-making on family planning—dominant attitudes aligned with patriarchal, heteronormative views of masculinity. […]
Factors associated with sexual and reproductive health stigma among adolescent girls in Ghana
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study highlights how pervasive gendered social norms frame adolescent sexuality as shameful and dangerous. These norms fuel stigma around contraception, pregnancy, and SRH care-seeking. Interventions must challenge these beliefs through comprehensive SRH education, supportive dialogue, and community-wide norm change efforts that empower girls with information, confidence, and access to services. […]
Evaluating the Validity and Reliability of the Gender Equitable Men’s Scale Using a Longitudinal Cohort of Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the importance of critically assessing how gender norms are measured across time and developmental stages. While the Gender Equitable Men’s Scale (GEMS) performs well overall in tracking changes in beliefs among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), individual items within the scale exhibit bias depending on life experiences […]
Examining Masculinities to Inform Gender-Transformative Violence Prevention Programs: Qualitative Findings From Rakai, Uganda.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that two dominant, context-dependent masculine norms—“reputation” (cool masculinity) and “respectability” (responsible masculinity)—shape men’s identities and justify violence against women in Rakai, Uganda. Masculinity tied to sexual prowess and dominance over women is socially rewarded among peers, while responsibility, marriage, and fatherhood are valued by the broader community. Both […]