This Technical Background Paper for Oxfam India’s Campaign on Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls is a review of existing literature on social norms. Beginning with the reason for a renewed focus on social norms, this paper goes on to clarify for the common person the concept of social norms and its many aspects. It looks at evidence from existing programmes and campaigns on ending violence against women and the approach to changing social norms within them. It talks about a possible framework for changing social norms while touching upon the complexities of measuring social norm change over a period of time. It highlights some of the principles that need to be kept in mind while initiating social norm interventions within any context. In conclusion, it attempts to bring to the forefront some key lessons to be kept in mind while designing a campaign on changing social norms that underpin domestic violence in the context of the Indian realities.
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