Key Social Norms Take-aways This study illustrates the importance of targeting male gender norms and attitudes about intimate partner violence and sexual relationships to improve outcomes for adolescent girls. The soccer-based intervention with boys focused on shifting norms around respect for females, age-appropriate relationships, and consent, aiming to indirectly influence girls’ sexual health by intervening within their social and sexual networks. The study underscores that social norms interventions can be more impactful when they engage influential community members—especially boys—and explicitly address power, respect, and responsibility in relationships.
Objectives The study sought to evaluate whether engaging adolescent boys through a soccer-based gender and health curriculum, combined with individual goal setting for girls, could improve sexual health outcomes and reduce intimate partner violence risks among adolescent girls in rural Tanzania.
Methods This study was a randomized controlled trial implemented across 149 adolescent girls’ clubs in three regions of Tanzania. Clubs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (ELA club only), a supply arm (free access to contraceptives), or a boys’ arm (soccer-based gender and health curriculum for boys, plus contraceptive access). Additionally, a subset of girls across all arms was randomly invited to participate in an individual goal setting exercise. Data were collected at baseline and follow-up, with analyses comparing outcomes across intervention arms.
Intervention Details The boys’ intervention was delivered by Grassroot Soccer and included 11 sessions focused on sexual and reproductive health, HIV prevention, consent, communication, and prevention of intimate partner violence. Boys were recruited from the social and sexual networks of ELA club girls and broader community. Simultaneously, selected girls participated in a goal-setting activity where they created and committed to strategies to remain STI/HIV-free using the SMART framework. Four months later, girls were followed up to assess adherence to their strategies.
Results While the supply arm showed no impact due to low contraceptive uptake, the boys’ intervention led to positive shifts in some outcomes, especially among girls who had partners or social ties to participating boys. Girls with boyfriends exposed to the soccer intervention were less likely to report having experienced intimate partner violence and more likely to report safer sexual behaviors. Girls who participated in goal setting were more likely to set and achieve behavior-change strategies if they had higher self-efficacy and better mental health.
Conclusions Engaging boys in norm-shifting activities that promote gender equity and respectful relationships can have indirect but meaningful effects on girls’ sexual health and safety. Interventions that target social networks and combine norm change with individual empowerment strategies are promising approaches for improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes.