gender norms

What do we know about the challenges faced by women and girls worldwide, and what can we do about them? Evidence from 18 developing countries helps elucidate this.

Increasing women’s labour force participation and career progression is a key priority for policymakers in developing and developed economies alike. A central question is whether economic development and rising incomes naturally lead to greater femal...

How can mass media meaningfully shift attitudes and behaviours in developing countries?

Can an intermediate, less severe action serve as a stepping stone to eliminating a harmful norm? Research on female genital cutting in Somalia suggests that the intermediate action risks becoming the new norm.

Women-only spaces offer a quick fix for those facing higher risk of harassment but reflect and may reinforce the idea that women are responsible for preventing their own victimisation.

Evidence from Zimbabwe suggests that dialogue-based engagement campaigns can be effective in increasing enrolment and learning, which is consistent with improving perceptions around the value of girls’ education. These campaigns can also be offered a...

Flexible work arrangements can both attract women to the labour force and provide a gateway to outside-the-home jobs. In India, where gender norms keep women out of the labour force, home-based jobs may represent the most immediate path to increase women’s labour force participation.

Data from 60 countries across six continents reveals that, in almost every country, the support for basic rights is underestimated, especially among men, suggesting that aligning perceived and actual views may be a promising policy intervention to ra...

Progressive gender norms can be transmitted from teachers to students and improve classroom achievement through better cooperation among the sexes