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Breaking a Culture of Silence: Social norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls in Nigeria (Oxfam Novib Research Report, 2018)

August 9, 2018

“Enough” – a worldwide Oxfam campaign -aims to replace harmful social norms with positive ones that promote gender equality and non-violence. To better understand which social norms perpetuate traditional practices in Nigeria and how they influence behaviour, Oxfam in Nigeria conducted formative research by interviewing 20 men and 20 women and analysing the results in a campaign design workshop with partner organizations and experts working on violence against women and girls. The findings will inform the development of the Enough campaign in Nigeria.

From the research and subsequent analysis in the workshop, four social norms were identified as drivers of the harmful traditional practices FGM/C and early marriage: A respectable woman marries early; A respectable woman is submissive to male authority; A suitable woman is not promiscuous; A woman is worth more as a wife than as a daughter. Women and girls who transgress these norms face four main kinds of sanction: peer pressure, condemnation, exclusion and force. Encouragingly, although the research found that respondents believe others still think it is appropriate to follow traditional practices, many of the respondents’ own individual attitudes have already shifted – a first signifier of social norms change.

Click here for full report.

Filed Under: Behaviour Change Communication, Gender, Gender Based Violence, Nigeria, Publications (published in print and/or online), Social Norms, Social Norms Analysis, Social Norms Highlights Tagged With: FGM/C

Social Norms and Girls’ Well-Being: Linking Theory and Practice Report (Data2X, 2017)

April 14, 2018

This report initially reviews the landscape of theory around social norms (“Theory”). It then investigates two projects that have facilitated change around norms and practices of female genital cutting (FGC) and child marriage: Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP) in West Africa and Population Council’s Abriendo Oportunidades (“Opening Opportunities”; AO) project in Latin America (“Practice”).

The report concludes by discussing the implications of both theory and practice for the future of social norms change (“The Way Forward”).

Click here for full report.

Filed Under: Children, Guatemala, Health, Publications (published in print and/or online), Senegal, Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC), Social Norms, Social Norms Analysis Tagged With: Child marriage, FGM/C, Girls

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