Sector · Gender
Gender, Social Norms & GBV Prevention
Social norms shape what people feel able to do. We help programs understand and shift gender and social norms, and support GBV prevention with research, community engagement and careful measurement.
Why social norms matter
Many behaviors are shaped less by what people know than by what they think others do and expect. A young woman may want to use a service but fear what neighbors will say. A man may disagree with violence but stay silent because he believes most men accept it.
Programs that ignore social norms often see little lasting change. Programs that understand and work with them can shift behavior across whole communities.
Gender equality and social norms
Gender norms affect decision-making, workload, mobility, access to money and information, and use of services. Our work helps programs:
- Understand how gender norms and expectations shape the behaviors they want to change
- Design gender-transformative approaches that engage women, men, girls and boys
- Involve influential groups such as religious and traditional leaders
- Avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes in materials and messages
GBV prevention
Gender-based violence prevention requires care, patience and strong ethics. We support programs that address the root causes of violence, including harmful norms around masculinity, control and silence.
Our work follows recognized guidance, such as the UN Women resources on ending violence against women, and always links prevention activities to response services.
Methods for social norms change
Norms diagnosis
Research that separates personal attitudes from perceived norms and identifies reference groups.
Community dialogue
Facilitated conversations where communities reflect and agree new expectations.
Role models
Visible, respected people who show that change is possible and accepted.
Edutainment
Stories through radio, video or drama that let people explore issues safely.
Couple and family approaches
Activities that improve communication and shared decision-making at home.
Measurement
Tools to track changes in perceived norms and practices over time.
How an engagement runs
- 01
Diagnose norms
We map behaviors, beliefs and expectations, and identify who matters.
- 02
Design with communities
We co-create approaches with community members and leaders.
- 03
Test safely
We pilot with safeguards and adjust based on feedback.
- 04
Support scale-up
We train facilitators and support rollout.
- 05
Measure change
We track norms and practices, and share learning.
Diagnosing norms before designing
Not every harmful practice is driven by social norms. Sometimes people simply lack information, money or access to services. Before designing a social norms intervention, we check whether a norm is really at work: do people believe that others in their group behave this way, and do they believe others expect them to? Would they change if they thought others were changing?
We use tools such as vignettes, short stories about fictional characters, to explore expectations without asking people to talk about their own private lives. We identify reference groups, the people whose opinions matter most for a given behavior, which might be peers, elders, religious leaders or in-laws.
This diagnosis shapes the program. If a norm is holding a behavior in place, approaches that work with the whole community and with reference groups are needed. If not, other approaches may be more effective.
Engaging men and boys
Gender equality and GBV prevention programs increasingly work with men and boys as partners in change. Many men privately disagree with harmful practices but fear being seen as weak by other men. Creating safe spaces to discuss masculinity, relationships and parenting can reveal that support for change is wider than people think.
We design these approaches carefully, making sure they also listen to women and girls, do not undermine women's organizations, and keep the focus on safety and equality.
Ethics, safety and do no harm
Work on gender and social norms, and especially GBV prevention, can put participants at risk if it is not handled carefully. We follow international ethical guidance, ensure that referral pathways to services are in place before activities start, train facilitators on how to respond to disclosures, and monitor for any backlash. Our research approach includes these safeguards from the start.
Norms across sectors
Gender and community expectations affect almost every area of development. In health they shape who seeks care and when. In nutrition they influence who eats first and what children are fed. In WASH they affect who collects water and how menstrual health is managed. In agriculture they determine who controls land and income. We help programs in each of these sectors look at the expectations that matter and design approaches that address them, working closely with local women's rights organizations and community groups wherever possible.
Measuring change in norms
Measuring change in social norms requires more than asking people what they think. We measure personal attitudes, what people believe others do, and what they believe others expect, alongside the behaviors themselves. Tools include short survey modules, vignettes, social network questions and qualitative methods such as most significant change. Because change can take time, we track early signs, such as more open discussion or new role models, as well as longer-term outcomes. See our M&E approach.
Working on gender equality?
Contact us, or see health communication and monitoring and evaluation.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are social norms?
Social norms are the unwritten rules about what people in a group typically do and what they believe others expect them to do. They strongly shape behavior, including in gender roles, health, marriage and violence, because people care about how others see them.
How do you change harmful social norms?
Norms shift when people see that others are changing, when respected people model new behavior, and when communities discuss and agree new expectations together. Programs combine community dialogue, role models, media and changes to services and rules.
Do you work on GBV prevention?
Yes. We support GBV prevention programs with research, community engagement design, materials and evaluation, always following safety and ethical standards and linking to response services.
How do you keep participants safe?
We follow international ethical and safety guidance for violence research and programming: informed consent, privacy, trained staff, referral pathways to services, and avoiding approaches that could increase risk for survivors.
Can norms work be measured?
Yes. We measure what people do, what they believe others do, and what they think others expect, using tools such as vignettes and social network questions, alongside practice indicators.