How community dialogues influence norm change around female genital mutilation: a mediation analysis from a high-burden Kenyan setting.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Female genital mutilation is sustained by shared expectations about marriageability, social status, and sanctions for non-compliance rather than solely by individual preferences. Community dialogues may shift these expectations by creating opportunities for collective reflection and visible dissent. The weaker associations for couples-only dialogues suggest that household-level approaches alone may be insufficient […]
Attitude towards gender roles and violence against women and girls (VAWG): baseline findings from an RCT of 1752 youths in Pakistan.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that patriarchal gender attitudes among Pakistani adolescents are shaped by social norms within peer groups, families, and schools. Peer violence, corporal punishment, child marriage expectations, and exposure to violence at home serve as indicators of gender norms that reinforce inequality. The authors argue that because peer norms are […]
Prevention of violence against women and girls: A cost-effectiveness study across 6 low- and middle-income countries
Key Social Norms Take-aways: This study shows that community-based interventions designed to change harmful gender norms and social norms around violence are among the most cost-effective strategies for preventing violence against women and girls in low- and middle-income countries. The findings highlight that investing in proven social norms interventions can improve population health, although additional […]
Assessing the Role of Sex and Gender Norms in Peer Violence Trends During Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study From Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms—particularly unequal expectations about sexual and romantic behavior for boys versus girls—may shape adolescents’ vulnerability to peer violence differently by sex. More unequal sexual double standard perceptions were associated with greater peer violence, particularly the overlap of victimization and perpetration among girls. The authors argue that gender-transformative approaches should address […]
Uneven progress: trends and social inequalities in women’s empowerment domains in Ghana from 2003-2022
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Ghana has made substantial progress in women’s rejection of norms that justify intimate partner violence, suggesting meaningful normative change, but this progress has not translated evenly into other dimensions of women’s empowerment. The discussion emphasizes that restrictive gender norms and household power relations continue to constrain decision-making, particularly among disadvantaged groups. […]
Condom literacy, self-efficacy, and HIV-risk behaviors: a cross-sectional analysis of adolescent girls in northwestern Botswana
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Although gender and relationship norms were not independently associated with girls’ perceived ability to insist on condom use after adjustment, the discussion emphasizes that patriarchal beliefs about male power in sexual relationships may still impede girls’ ability to translate condom-use intentions into behavior. A notable minority of girls endorsed beliefs that […]
Parental and Adolescent Factors predicting Protective Sexual Behaviors among In-School Adolescents: A Positive Deviance Explanation
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Peer sexual norms are an important influence on adolescents’ protective sexual behaviors. Adolescents who perceived their peers as more accepting of sexual activity were less likely to abstain or practice safer sex. The discussion further emphasizes that these peer influences operate within broader gendered norms: girls may face unequal sanctions for […]
Attitude and Involvement Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bangladesh
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social and cultural expectations appear to shape university students’ attitudes toward and engagement with sexual and reproductive health. The discussion suggests that male students may face stigma and gendered expectations that discourage seeking information or showing interest in reproductive health, while broader gendered socialization and unequal access to resources may reinforce […]
Examining Trajectories of Peer Violence Experiences and Their Association with Gender Norms and Agency Among Adolescents: Evidence from China, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Indonesia.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Unequal gender norms were associated with adolescents’ peer violence trajectories, but relationships varied substantially across settings. Sexual double standards showed the most consistent associations: more unequal perceptions predicted several higher-risk violence trajectories, suggesting that beliefs that permit different behaviors for boys and girls may contribute to violence. The discussion emphasizes that […]
Factors Influencing Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence Among Married Women: A Multilevel Analysis Across 20 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Acceptance of intimate partner violence reflects patriarchal gender norms that can normalize violence against women. Women surveyed between 2019 and 2022 were substantially less likely to justify intimate partner violence than those in earlier surveys, which the authors suggest may reflect shifting social norms and greater awareness. Education and women’s decision-making […]