Linking theory and practice (original) (raw)
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Social Norms and Girls' Well-being: Linking Theory and Practice
Vaitla, B., Taylor, A., Van Horn, J., and Cislaghi, B. (2017). Social Norms and Girls’ Well-Being: Linking Theory and Practice. Washington, D.C.: Data2X The state of social norms theory and practice is strong. There is an emerging consensus on how to describe the phenomena central to social norms: group identity, expectations about typical and appropriate behavior, economic constraints, and personal capacities. Governments and civil society practitioners across the globe strive to implement policies and projects to change norms and catalyze improvements in girls’ lives. The linkage of theory and practice is, however, still in its nascent stages. Exploring these connections is the primary objective of this report. We first review the landscape of theory around social norms (“Theory”). We then investigate in detail 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”). We conclude by discussing the implications of both theory and practice for the future of social norms change (“The Way Forward”).
Gender & Development, 2016
This article explores an ongoing knowledge initiative, co-ordinated by Oxfam's new Knowledge Hub on violence against women and girls/ gender-based violence (VAWG/GBV), which aims to help deepen Oxfam's effectiveness in work to change attitudes, social norms, and modes of behaviour which cause and perpetuate VAWG. Here, we share some of what we have learned so far, in terms of useful concepts and programme elements, including two case studies from Malawi and South Africa that illustrate these.
Why discriminatory social institutions affecting adolescent girls matter
Key messages Persistent discriminatory social institutions such as early marriage, gender-based violence, son bias, time poverty and restricted inheritance rights are an obstacle to adolescent girls' empowerment. There are only 6 girls for every 10 boys enrolled in secondary school in countries where women and girls physical integrity is most restricted, compared to equal numbers of girls and boys in countries with low restrictions. Policies and programmes targeting adolescent girls need to address discriminatory social institutions. A mix of policies is required including an enabling legal environment; community awareness, empowerment and mobilisation programmes; social protection and incentives. There has been a growing focus on the empowerment of adolescent girls in development policies and programmes in recent years. In addition to fulfilling fundamental human rights, improving social and economic outcomes for girls can have a multiplier effect for improving the well-b...
UNFPA-UNICEF Manual on Social Norms and Change
2016
Author is the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/cutting: accelerating change. I co-wrote the Manual together with Marguerite Monnet. This manual is meant for training programme managers to promote the abandonment of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). It has been designed under a joint programme of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Joint Programme applies an innovative approach to FGM/C abandonment, using a social norms perspective to guide the selection of an appropriate mix of strategies and activities most conducive to self-sustained social change.
A Situational Analysis of Human Rights and Cultural Effects on Gender Justice for Girls
Evidence suggests that despite repeated mandates by the United Nations (UN) for gender equality, local gender justice for girls has been elusive. Conceptually drawn from Merry’s human rights-cultural particularism dissonance and Sen’s comparative justice theories, the purpose of this grounded theory study, supported by Clarke’s situational analysis, was to investigate how local religious and cultural practices impedes a gender equality outcome for girls. The primary research question involved identifying characteristics and situations of actors who focused solely on gender, culture, and human rights issues at the international and national level. A qualitative research design was used in this study of 8 experts in gender, human rights, and cultural issues who were interviewed in-depth in person and on the telephone. A line-by-line analysis of participants’ responses identified specific sub theme situations related to the study that included sociocultural, socioeconomic, and intercultural elements. In addition, open and selected coding of participants’ responses uncovered critical gender related themes that included democracy, political governance, and fatherhood responsibility. Implications for social change include indentifying a gender justice approach to human rights in which to implement integrated gender focused programs advocated by civil society and the UN to fill gaps left by governments.The findings suggest that obtaining children human rights is a function of the effect of a girl’s access to gender justice and a culture’s response to social development with an outcome of gender equality. This can result in advancement of gender justice, which research indicates can substantially improve local and global communities socially, economically, and politically.
Social norms for adolescent girls in Nepal: slow but positive progress Country briefing
2014
• Research in Nepal reveals positive changes in the social norms that shape the lives of adolescent girls. These include the reduction in child marriage; the growing value being placed on the education of adolescent girls-some of whom now combine schooling with married life; shrinking family size; and signs in one district (Ilam) that girls now have a greater say in who they will, or will not, marry. Research fellow, NCCR 3 Key findings 3.1 The growing value placed on girls' education What we expected to find On the basis of our literature review 2 , we expected to find that, while overall literacy rates had improved, girls would still be at a disadvantage when compared to boys, that there would be disparities between girls in rural and urban areas and that the older the adolescent girl, the more likely she would be to drop out of school. The literature also showed that girls dropped out of school because they had to carry out household chores and because of the perception that girls needed to be married off. Box 2: Persistent and changing gender norms in Ilam and Doti Districts Persistent norms 'I was good in studies, but I had to drop out owing to excessive work at home. It was not because of my parents. It was my decision. My mother is not healthy. I am the eldest and the only grown-up child at home, so I could help in the household work. So I left my studies.' (Adolescent girl, Ilam) 'I agree with my parents that my sister needs to marry after she completes [Grade] 12 otherwise people in the village will start talking and accuse us of keeping a grown-up girl at home.' (Adolescent boy, Doti). 'Men spend more time playing cards and drinking alcohol. Wife beating is normal in society […] they say if they don't beat the wife, the wife will dominate them…' (Adolescent girl, Doti) 'Everyone knows two children are god's gift, but if they have a daughter, they keep on having children. What is the use of education?' (Youth volunteer, Doti) Changing norms 'Previously the old people were against it (education) they now say you should give them equal rights, you should also send your girl child to school.' (Headmaster, Doti)