Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment
Abstract Background Gender-transformative public health programs often aim to address power inequities between men and women and promote women’s empowerment. However, to achieve transformative change, it is necessary to first identify the underlying norms that perpetuate these power imbalances. The...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17213-2 |
| _version_ | 1797451298139799552 |
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| author | Shivani Chandramohan Allison P. Salinger Amanda S. Wendt Jillian L. Waid Md. Abul Kalam Maryann G. Delea Dawn L. Comeau Shafinaz Sobhan Sabine Gabrysch Sheela Sinharoy |
| author_facet | Shivani Chandramohan Allison P. Salinger Amanda S. Wendt Jillian L. Waid Md. Abul Kalam Maryann G. Delea Dawn L. Comeau Shafinaz Sobhan Sabine Gabrysch Sheela Sinharoy |
| author_sort | Shivani Chandramohan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Gender-transformative public health programs often aim to address power inequities between men and women and promote women’s empowerment. However, to achieve transformative change, it is necessary to first identify the underlying norms that perpetuate these power imbalances. The objective of our study was to use Bicchieri’s theory of social norms and model of norm change to identify gendered norms and evidence of norm change amongst participants of the Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition (FAARM) trial in rural Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. Methods We conducted ten life history interviews, 16 key informant interviews, and four focus group discussions with women and men in communities within the FAARM study site in rural, north-eastern Bangladesh. We performed a thematic analysis as well as a relational analysis of the data. Results We found that social norms dictated the extent and ways in which women participated in household decisions, the locations they could visit, and their autonomy to use household resources. We also found evidence of changes to gendered social norms over time and the desire amongst some men and women to abandon restrictive norms. Certain intersecting factors, such as education and employment, were identified as facilitators and barriers to women’s empowerment and the related gendered expectations. Conclusions Our findings corroborate existing norms literature, which highlights the strong role social norms play in influencing women’s empowerment and behaviour. Our study provides an example of rigorous qualitative methodology that others may follow to assess gendered social norms that can be targeted for transformative change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:51:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9de814b88154dc7858eaccdbce1c786 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:51:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9de814b88154dc7858eaccdbce1c7862023-11-26T14:26:10ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-11-0123111510.1186/s12889-023-17213-2Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowermentShivani Chandramohan0Allison P. Salinger1Amanda S. Wendt2Jillian L. Waid3Md. Abul Kalam4Maryann G. Delea5Dawn L. Comeau6Shafinaz Sobhan7Sabine Gabrysch8Sheela Sinharoy9Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory UniversityHubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory UniversityResearch Department 2, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz AssociationResearch Department 2, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz AssociationBangladesh Country Office, Helen Keller InternationalHubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory UniversityBehavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory UniversityResearch Department 2, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz AssociationResearch Department 2, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz AssociationHubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory UniversityAbstract Background Gender-transformative public health programs often aim to address power inequities between men and women and promote women’s empowerment. However, to achieve transformative change, it is necessary to first identify the underlying norms that perpetuate these power imbalances. The objective of our study was to use Bicchieri’s theory of social norms and model of norm change to identify gendered norms and evidence of norm change amongst participants of the Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition (FAARM) trial in rural Sylhet Division, Bangladesh. Methods We conducted ten life history interviews, 16 key informant interviews, and four focus group discussions with women and men in communities within the FAARM study site in rural, north-eastern Bangladesh. We performed a thematic analysis as well as a relational analysis of the data. Results We found that social norms dictated the extent and ways in which women participated in household decisions, the locations they could visit, and their autonomy to use household resources. We also found evidence of changes to gendered social norms over time and the desire amongst some men and women to abandon restrictive norms. Certain intersecting factors, such as education and employment, were identified as facilitators and barriers to women’s empowerment and the related gendered expectations. Conclusions Our findings corroborate existing norms literature, which highlights the strong role social norms play in influencing women’s empowerment and behaviour. Our study provides an example of rigorous qualitative methodology that others may follow to assess gendered social norms that can be targeted for transformative change.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17213-2Norms diagnosisSocial normsEmpowermentNorm changeNorm abandonmentAgency |
| spellingShingle | Shivani Chandramohan Allison P. Salinger Amanda S. Wendt Jillian L. Waid Md. Abul Kalam Maryann G. Delea Dawn L. Comeau Shafinaz Sobhan Sabine Gabrysch Sheela Sinharoy Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment BMC Public Health Norms diagnosis Social norms Empowerment Norm change Norm abandonment Agency |
| title | Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment |
| title_full | Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment |
| title_fullStr | Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment |
| title_short | Diagnosing norms and norm change in rural Bangladesh: an exploration of gendered social norms and women’s empowerment |
| title_sort | diagnosing norms and norm change in rural bangladesh an exploration of gendered social norms and women s empowerment |
| topic | Norms diagnosis Social norms Empowerment Norm change Norm abandonment Agency |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17213-2 |
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