The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Evidence: Changing Gender Norms

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Participating organisations in the Global Alliance for Social and Behaviour Change - Building Informed and Engaged Societies were asked to identify, in their opinion, the 5 most compelling research and evaluation studies that demonstrate the direct impact of this field of work on a major development issue. This was one of the nominees. For the full compiled list, please click here. For the compilation of the key impact data across all research evidence identified, please click here.

Title of paper, article, book (chapter), publication?:

Changing Gender Norms

Name(s) of author(s)?:

Diva Dhar, Tarun Jain, Seema Jayachandran, Leena Sushant

Who published this paper, article, book (chapter) or other publication?:

Breakthrough Trust & JPAL

What are the best extracts that highlight the evidence for the impact of a communication for development, social change, behaviour change, public engagement, or informed citizen strategy on a development issue and priority?:

Using a randomised controlled trial, we find that the intervention improved gender attitudes by 0.2 standard deviations, an effect size comparable to that of having parents whose attitudes are one standard deviation more gender-equitable. Programme participants also report more gender-equitable behaviour such as increased interaction with the opposite sex. The change in attitudes is similar for boys and girls, but behaviour change is larger among boys, pointing to the importance of barriers for girls to act in accordance with their own altered attitudes.

To which development issue does this evidence and impact data relate?:

Changing norms around Gender Based Discrimination with Adolescents; SDG 5; Gender Norms School Based Intervention

To which strategic approach(es) does the evidence and impact data relate?:

School Based intervention - Social behavior change communication techniques like participatory classroom sessions and community mobilization in schools using mid media tools and folk art

What research methodology (ies) was/were used to produce this evidence and impact data?:

Online monitoring methods and platforms; Formative research, Qualitative and Quantitative methodologies; Impact analysis using Randomized Control Trial; Implicit Association tests

What is the URL to access this paper, article, book (chapter) or other publication?:

https://inbreakthrough.tv/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/JPAL-Report-final.pdf

Why was this research evidence found to be useful?:

Seeing the encouraging results from Haryana, Breakthrough has already scaled up this programme to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar, reaching over 150,000 adolescents directly though the intervention. We intend on reaching over a million adolescents with this curriculum in next few years, with the hope of eventually creating a more gender neutral society. The results have also been shared with the State Education Department for incorporating the present Gender sensitization curriculum into the academic session.

Further comments?:

Taaron ki Toli is a first of its kind, 3-year, school based programme that works with adolescent boys and girls in classes 6-9 to shape their gender attitudes and beliefs. The programme was introduced in 150 government schools in Haryana across the four districts of Jhajjar, Sonepat, Panipat and Rohtak in 2014 and reaches 18,000 children. The Taaron ki Toli Curriculum is designed to develop and enhance psychological, interpersonal and social skills of adolescents. It aims to increase self-awareness and confidence by making them aware of their rights and entitlements. This allows them to think and communicate clearly and develop coping and self -management mechanisms, so that they can change unfavourable attitudes, and influence decisions related to their health, safety, education, careers and age of marriage. The Curriculum provides a simple, effective and scalable model of tools and programmes. Young adolescents can not only practice in their homes, schools and communities to implement gender-equitable behaviour, but also be catalysts of change by drawing on the leadership training within the curriculum framework.