Introduction

Deeply embedded social norms often represent the most stubborn barriers to achieving genuine gender equality. These unwritten rules, shared beliefs, and collective expectations dictate what is considered "normal" or "acceptable" for women, men, and gender-diverse individuals, influencing everything from educational attainment and career choices to domestic responsibilities and responses to violence. While laws and policies can provide a framework for equality, lasting change requires a transformation of these underlying social norms that shape attitudes and behaviors. Understanding how norms operate, how they are maintained, and critically, how they can be positively influenced is paramount for designing effective and sustainable interventions that move beyond individual behavior change to collective transformation. This essential training course focuses on Social Norms Change for Gender Equality, equipping participants to become catalysts for profound societal shifts.

This intensive training Course is meticulously designed to equip gender equality advocates, development practitioners, community organizers, public health professionals, educators, and civil society organizations with the theoretical understanding and practical tools necessary to design and implement social norms change initiatives for gender equality. Participants will gain a deep understanding of social norms theory, learn to identify harmful gender norms, and explore innovative methodologies for fostering collective behavior change. The course will delve into topics such as theories of social influence, community dialogue facilitation, engaging influential leaders, media campaigns for norm change, measuring shifts in norms, and addressing resistance to change. By mastering the principles and methodologies of Social Norms Change for Gender Equality, participants will be empowered to challenge deeply ingrained inequalities, promote equitable norms, and contribute to the creation of more just and inclusive societies.

Duration: 5 Days

Target Audience

• Gender Equality Advocates and Activists
• Development Practitioners (Program Managers, Community Engagement Specialists)
• Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Professionals
• Community Organizers and Mobilizers
• Public Health Professionals focused on gender-related issues (e.g., GBV, SRHR)
• Educators and Youth Leaders
• Civil Society Organizations working on Gender Justice
• Researchers in Social Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology
• Policymakers interested in evidence-based gender interventions
• Communication and Media Professionals

Course Objectives

• Understand the fundamental concepts of social norms, gender norms, and their impact on gender equality.
• Analyze the drivers and mechanisms through which harmful gender norms are perpetuated.
• Learn to conduct social norms analysis and diagnostics at the community level.
• Acquire skills in designing and implementing evidence-based interventions for social norm change.
• Explore various theories of social influence and their application to gender equality.
• Comprehend the importance of engaging influential individuals and groups in norm change efforts.
• Identify methods for addressing resistance and backlash against gender equality initiatives.
• Understand approaches to measuring and tracking shifts in social norms and collective behaviors.
• Examine global best practices and successful case studies of social norm change for gender equality.
• Develop a practical action plan for a social norm change initiative in their context.
• Enhance facilitation, communication, and advocacy skills for transformative gender programming.

Course Content

Module 1: Understanding Social Norms and Gender

• Defining social norms, beliefs, practices, and their distinction from laws and policies.
• How social norms shape attitudes and behaviors related to gender.
• The concept of gender norms: what are they, how are they formed, and how they constrain equality.
• Implicit vs. explicit norms and their influence.
• The role of collective expectations and conditional preferences in maintaining norms.

Module 2: Theories of Social Norms Change

• Key theories influencing social norms change (e.g., Social Learning Theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Diffusion of Innovations).
• The concept of "tipping points" and critical mass in norm change.
• Understanding descriptive vs. injunctive norms and their leverage points.
• The role of opinion leaders, reference groups, and social networks in norm diffusion.
• Cognitive dissonance and its role in behavior change.

Module 3: Conducting Social Norms Diagnostics

• Methodologies for identifying and analyzing harmful gender norms in specific contexts.
• Qualitative research methods: focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, observational studies.
• Quantitative tools: surveys measuring perceived norms and personal attitudes.
• Mapping social networks and identifying influential actors.
• Ethical considerations and safeguarding in research on sensitive norms.

Module 4: Designing Social Norms Change Interventions

• Moving beyond individual behavior change to collective action.
• The importance of multi-level interventions (individual, community, institutional).
• Developing compelling narratives and messages that challenge harmful norms.
• Co-creating solutions with communities: participatory approaches to intervention design.
• Integrating social norms change into broader gender equality programs.

Module 5: Strategies for Engaging Influential Leaders and Gatekeepers

• Identifying formal and informal leaders, including traditional, religious, and youth leaders.
• Engaging male champions and allies for gender equality.
• Building consensus and buy-in from community gatekeepers.
• Techniques for facilitating dialogue with influential actors about gender norms.
• Addressing power imbalances in engagement strategies.

Module 6: Communication and Media for Social Norm Change

• Developing communication strategies tailored to specific gender norms.
• Utilizing mass media (radio, TV, print) and digital platforms for norm diffusion.
• The role of entertainment-education and edutainment in challenging norms.
• Crafting messages that promote positive gender role models and behaviors.
• Monitoring media portrayal of gender norms.

Module 7: Addressing Resistance and Backlash

• Understanding common forms of resistance to gender equality and norm change.
• Strategies for anticipating and mitigating backlash from individuals or groups.
• Developing conflict resolution and mediation skills for sensitive discussions.
• Building resilience within communities to sustain change.
• The importance of a supportive policy and legal environment.

Module 8: Measuring and Tracking Shifts in Social Norms

• Developing indicators for measuring changes in perceived norms and collective behaviors.
• Using qualitative methods to capture nuanced shifts in attitudes and practices.
• Quantitative surveys for tracking changes in prevalence of certain behaviors and beliefs.
• Long-term monitoring and evaluation of social norm change initiatives.
• Attributing changes in norms to specific interventions.

Module 9: Case Studies, Innovations, and Future Directions

• Reviewing successful programs that have demonstrably shifted gender norms (e.g., related to GBV, child marriage, FGM, girls' education).
• Emerging innovations in social norms programming (e.g., digital tools, gaming, behavioral economics).
• Challenges in scaling social norms change initiatives.
• The role of data and evidence in advocating for norm-transformative approaches.
• The ethical imperative of rights-based approaches to social norms change.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training