A church-based intervention for families to promote mental health and prevent HIV among adolescents in rural Kenya: Results of a randomized trial
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the role of family and church-based relationships in shaping social norms around adolescent mental health and HIV prevention. The intervention fostered shifts in injunctive norms by reinforcing open communication, gender-equitable attitudes, and joint problem-solving within families. By situating the program within trusted church settings and engaging both adolescents […]
Redefining Norms to Empower Women: Experiences and Lessons Learned
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights how challenging entrenched social norms around male aggression in intimate relationships requires not only community visibility but also strategies that shift both multiple types of norms. While the use of physical and verbal aggression remained prevalent in Sri Lanka’s plantation communities, early signs of weakening norms—particularly those related […]
Process and impact evaluation of a community gender equality intervention with young men in Rajasthan, India
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This evaluation highlights that individual-level shifts in gender norms are possible when young men are engaged in safe, reflective, and participatory group settings. The intervention catalyzed changes in attitudes and self-perceptions around masculinity, violence, and relationships. However, these internal shifts were constrained by broader social pressures—community norms lagged behind, limiting young […]
Prévenir les mariages précoces et forcés au Bénin (PROJEUNES)
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The PROJEUNES (Preventing early and forced marriage in Benin) project demonstrated that addressing early and forced marriage (EFM) in Benin requires shifting deeply entrenched social norms that define girls’ value in terms of marriageability and fertility. The project successfully fostered critical reflection among youth and community actors, challenging beliefs that favor […]
Narrative Persuasion and Social Norms in Entertainment-Education: Results from a Radio Drama in Mozambique
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around maternal health, sanitation, and reporting sexual abuse in Mozambique remain resistant to change, with community norms often not aligned with the behaviors promoted by the intervention. Although audiences engaged deeply with the radio drama’s characters and stories, indicating strong narrative persuasion, prevailing social norms continued to favor inaction […]
Combination prevention package of interventions for reducing vulnerability to HIV among adolescent girls and young women in Nigeria: An action research
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that interventions co-designed with communities can shift entrenched social norms that heighten adolescent girls’ and young women’s vulnerability to HIV. Parental silence around sexuality, peer silence about safer sex, and stigma associated with condom access were actively challenged through tailored, participatory activities. Interventions that enabled parents to discuss […]
Transforming the attitudes of young men about gender roles and the acceptability of violence against women, Bihar.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study shows that gender-transformative interventions targeting rural, out-of-school young men can shift harmful norms around masculinity and gender-based violence. Changes were especially strong among boys who regularly attended sessions. Critically, the program worked not just by changing individual attitudes but by influencing what young men believed their peers respected, suggesting […]
Challenges in Changing Social Norms: Evidence from Interventions Targeting Child Marriage in Ethiopia
Key Social Norms Take-Aways: This study underscores that changing social norms is possible but complex. Interventions prompted discussion and shifted some attitudes but also deepened divisions. Gender and power hierarchies remained largely intact, and future programs must anticipate resistance and support collective norm change. Objectives: This study evaluated whether social norms interventions and economic incentives […]
Evaluating a youth-designed sexual and reproductive health mass and social media campaign in Cote d’Ivoire: triangulation of three independent evaluations
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates that youth-led storytelling can shift harmful social norms around adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) by breaking taboos and modeling supportive adult-youth communication. The Merci Mon Héros (MMH) campaign highlighted how personal narratives and public expressions of gratitude can challenge stigma, encourage open dialogue, and promote new, positive […]
Masculinite, Famille, et Foi : End of Project Report
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The MFF (Masculinité, Famille, et Foi) intervention illustrates that engaging faith leaders and faith communities is a powerful strategy for transforming social norms related to gender equality, family planning (FP), and intimate partner violence (IPV). The project shows that shifting norms is possible when communities are encouraged to reflect on and […]