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 […]
EXPLORING THE ROLE OF EVOLVING GENDER NORMS IN SHAPING ADOLESCENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF VIOLENCE IN PASTORALIST AFAR, ETHIOPIA
Key Social Norms Take-aways: In Afar, Ethiopia, entrenched gender and age-based social norms deeply shape adolescents’ experiences of violence. Despite modest generational shifts—especially near urban areas—norms around child marriage (particularly absuma or cousin marriage), FGM/C, and girls’ limited mobility and agency continue to normalize violence and restrict girls’ choices. Addressing these norms requires more than […]
Drivers of child marriage in specific settings of Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia – findings from the Yes I Do! baseline study.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Child marriage across six countries is not just a standalone practice but a reflection of deeper social norms, especially around girls’ sexuality, family honour, and gender roles. In many cases, marriage is seen as a necessary response to prevent or cover up premarital sex or pregnancy. These norms are reinforced by […]
Developing Experimental Vignettes to Identify Gender Norms Associated With Transactional Sex for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Central Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study provides strong evidence that transactional sex among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Uganda is shaped by gender norms linking male financial provision to sexual decision-making power. Higher levels of male provision increase perceived social approval of men’s authority and sexual control within relationships, while simultaneously reducing peer […]
Contextualized theory-based predictors of intention to practice monogamy among adolescents in Botswana junior secondary schools: Results of focus group sessions and a cross-sectional study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly those rooted in proverbs, stories, and language—play a powerful role in shaping adolescents’ intentions regarding monogamy in Botswana. Patriarchal norms that valorize male sexual freedom and stigmatize monogamy as a sign of weakness or bewitchment create significant barriers to behaviour change. This study shows that incorporating socio-cultural beliefs into […]
Applying a gender lens to social norms, couple communication and decision making to increase modern contraceptive use in Ethiopia, a mixed methods study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that community-based interventions targeting young men can shift harmful gender norms and reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). At baseline, participants across all three study arms expressed substantial support for inequitable norms. For example, 58% agreed that a woman should tolerate violence to keep her family together, and half […]
‘A cut woman is the pride of all her relatives’: a situation analysis of female genital mutilation in Mali
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Female genital mutilation in Mali is upheld by strong social norms tied to identity, tradition, and group belonging. The practice is often seen as a rite of passage and a requirement for girls to be recognized as full members of their community. Being cut is associated with honor, pride, and social […]
‘The School Was Closed, So When They Brought Me A Husband I Couldn’t Say No’: Exploring the Gendered Experiences of Child Marriage Amongst Adolescent Girls and Boys in Ethiopia
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms deeply influence marriage decisions, especially those related to gender roles and adulthood. For girls, early marriage is often expected and seen as a path to social acceptance. For boys, marriage can be a way to prove maturity and secure social status. These expectations are reinforced by families, peers, and […]
Ring your future, without changing diaper – Can preventing teenage pregnancy address child marriage in Zambia?
Key Social Norms Take-aways: In Eastern Zambia, social and gender norms play a major role in driving both teenage pregnancy and child marriage. Cultural expectations around early sexual debut, family honor, and the role of girls as wives and mothers push young people—especially girls—into early sexual activity and marriage. Initiation ceremonies, transactional relationships, and stigma […]
“Trading daughters for livestock”: An ethnographic study of facilitators of child marriage in Lira district, Northern Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study illustrates how child marriage in Northern Uganda is deeply driven by harmful gender norms that view girls as economic assets. Norms prioritizing boys’ education and associating girls’ worth with bride price and reproductive roles fuel early marriage. Girls are considered ready for marriage at puberty, and families commonly see […]