Tackling the Triple Threat in Kenya: Factors Associated with Protection against HIV Risk, Gender-Based Violence, and Pregnancy among Adolescent Girls and Young Women
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gender norms—specifically gender-equitable attitudes—play a central protective role in reducing multiple risks faced by adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), including intimate partner violence and adolescent pregnancy. When combined with supportive relational norms (parental monitoring) and structural conditions (food security), these factors act synergistically as “development accelerators,” highlighting that shifting norms […]
Predicting Sexual Abstinence in School-Going Adolescents and Young Adults in Chad and Cameroon: Implications for Sexual Health Promotion Programs
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—measured as perceived norms supporting delayed sex—were not significant predictors of abstinence behaviors in this study, suggesting that norms alone may be insufficient to shape sexual behavior without complementary individual (e.g., self-efficacy) and relational (e.g., parental relationships) factors. The findings highlight that social norms operate within a broader socio-ecological system, […]
Experiences of childhood violence and violence perpetration and the association with inequitable gender norms and violence justification in humanitarian settings in Uganda
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Inequitable gender norms and the justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) are both widespread and strongly linked to experiences of childhood violence and, to a lesser extent, violence perpetration among youth in humanitarian settings. The study highlights that social norms learned early in life—particularly those normalizing male dominance and violence—reinforce cycles […]
Inequitable gender norms and its associated factors among university students in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study, 2022
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Inequitable gender norms remain widely endorsed among university students in southern Ethiopia and are strongly shaped by gender socialization processes, particularly among men. These norms normalize male dominance, women’s subservience, and acceptance of gender-based violence, with implications for sexual and reproductive health, access to services, and broader gender inequality. Importantly, attitudes […]
Factors Influencing Professional Help-Seeking Intentions for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Among Female University Students in Eswatini
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly perceived approval from significant others (subjective norms)—are the strongest drivers of help-seeking intentions among SGBV survivors. Norms that normalize silence, stigma, or tolerance of violence discourage professional help-seeking, while supportive social environments can facilitate it. Shifting community norms and increasing visible support for survivors are critical to improving help-seeking […]
The role of community-level men’s and women’s inequitable gender norms on women’s empowerment in India: A multilevel analysis using India’s National Family Health Survey-5
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Community-level gender norms—held by both men and women—play a critical and independent role in shaping women’s empowerment. Inequitable norms that justify wife-beating reflect broader patriarchal expectations and are associated with reduced mobility, decision-making power, and health knowledge among women. Importantly, the similar effects of men’s and women’s norms highlight that the […]
Gender beliefs and norms underlying intimate partner violence stigma among women living in Botswana: Results of an exploratory factor analysis
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Gendered social norms—particularly those endorsing male dominance and survivor-blaming—play a central role in shaping intimate partner violence (IPV) stigma. These norms reduce disclosure and help-seeking while exacerbating poor mental health outcomes among survivors. Community-level norms are especially influential, indicating that interventions must target broader social environments, not just individual attitudes. Objectives: […]
Contraceptive use intention and determinants among nonuser reproductive-aged married women in Ethiopia based on the theory of planned behavior
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly perceived approval from partners and communities—play a central role in shaping contraceptive intentions. Positive subjective norms, supportive partner attitudes, and community environments that reduce stigma and encourage discussion significantly increase women’s intention to use contraception, highlighting that shifting normative climates is critical for improving reproductive autonomy and uptake. Objectives: […]
Determinants of emergency contraceptive use among female senior high school students in the Akuapem south municipality, Ghana
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms—particularly cultural, religious, and moral expectations—play a critical role in shaping adolescents’ contraceptive behaviors by discouraging emergency contraceptive (EC) use despite high awareness. While subjective norms influenced intentions, they were less important than individual attitudes and perceived control in determining actual use, indicating that social disapproval creates hesitation but does […]
Intimate partner violence trajectories over a 1-year period in a population-based cohort of women in Kenya: associations with individual and community normative factors.
Key Social Norms Take-aways: Social norms that justify intimate partner violence (IPV) play a critical and “activating” role in shaping IPV risk. In contexts where IPV justification is more normative, individual and household risk factors become less predictive, suggesting that normative environments strongly condition behavior. Women’s own endorsement of IPV justification at the community level […]