Creating allies: qualitative exploration of young women’s preferences for PrEP methods and parents’ role in PrEP uptake and user support in urban and rural Zambia
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms surrounding premarital sex significantly limit open communication between adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their parents about HIV prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). These norms hinder AGYW’s ability to disclose PrEP use and prevent parents from engaging meaningfully in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) discussions. However, both AGYW […]
Community Perceptions About Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kenya
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Community norms strongly influence adolescent girls’ and young women’s (AGYW) use of PrEP in Kenya. Stigma around sexuality and misconceptions about PrEP—such as it being associated with promiscuity or HIV treatment—create social barriers to uptake. These norms discourage AGYW from seeking out PrEP, particularly in environments where conversations about sex are […]
Community perceptions of rape and child sexual abuse: a qualitative study in rural Tanzania
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms in rural Tanzania normalize and perpetuate sexual violence against women and children by reinforcing male dominance, stigmatizing survivors, and framing rape as a private or shameful matter, especially when committed by known perpetrators. These norms discourage reporting, hinder access to justice and healthcare, and silence survivors. The study highlights […]
Barriers to contraceptive use in humanitarian settings: Experiences of South Sudanese refugee women living in Adjumani district, Uganda; an exploratory qualitative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study reveals how deeply rooted patriarchal and cultural norms among South Sudanese refugee communities in Uganda severely restrict women’s and girls’ contraceptive autonomy. Social norms idealize large families, associate contraception with promiscuity, and reinforce male dominance in reproductive decision-making. Fear of community backlash, intimate partner violence, and the loss of […]
Capitalising on aspirations of adolescent girls and young women to reduce their sexual health risks: Implications for HIV prevention.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms around femininity, peer status, and marriage heavily dictate what AGYW perceive as achievable or desirable. Programs must help girls reconcile short-term needs with long-term goals while addressing structural barriers and providing realistic pathways to their dreams. Objectives: This study explored the aspirations of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) […]
Centering female agency while investigating contraceptive use: A case study in Agincourt, South Africa
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study illustrates how young women in rural South Africa navigate deeply embedded social norms surrounding premarital fertility, contraceptive use, and abortion. While community norms stigmatize adolescent sexual activity and pregnancy, women demonstrate significant agency in managing their reproductive health. Contraceptive use is framed as a personal responsibility, often requiring young […]
Bad girl and unmet family planning need among Sub-Saharan African adolescents: the role of sexual and reproductive health stigma
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gendered social norms that shame adolescent girls for being sexually active are central to the stigma they face. These norms create major barriers to accessing family planning and must be directly challenged through stigma-reduction strategies. Objectives: This study examined how sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stigma affects adolescent girls’ ability to […]
Barriers to accessing maternal health care amongst pregnant adolescents in South Africa: a qualitative study
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study demonstrates how entrenched social norms surrounding adolescent sexuality and gender roles in South Africa create significant barriers to accessing maternal health care for pregnant adolescents. Norms that frame adolescent pregnancy as shameful and deviant—particularly outside of marriage—generate fear, guilt, and stigma, which young women internalize. These norms are reinforced […]
Approaches to Regulating Adolescent Sexual Behavior in Ghana: Qualitative Evidence from Somanya and Adidome
Key Social Norms Take-aways: The study highlights how collective community norms — especially informal surveillance and shared social responsibility — play a key role in delaying adolescent sexual behavior. In Adidome, strong communal norms and active neighborhood monitoring contributed to lower HIV rates, while in Somanya, weakened cultural practices and lower community cohesion were linked […]
An exploration of gender-based violence in eastern Myanmar in the context of political transition: findings from a qualitative sexual and reproductive health assessment.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study highlights the persistent and deeply embedded gender norms in eastern Myanmar that sustain gender-based violence (GBV) and limit women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights, despite political transitions. Norms surrounding male dominance, early marriage, domestic violence, and restrictions on adolescent girls’ access to SRH services were consistently […]