Social Norms Exploration Report: Child Marriage, IPV, and Family Planning in Sokoto, Nigeria

The report explores the social norms driving child, early, and forced marriage, intimate partner violence, and early adoption of family planning in selected project areas in Sokoto, Nigeria. The report aims to understand the social norms that drive these behaviors and the individuals who uphold or enforce these norms. The study found that social norms limit the decision-making power of adolescent girls and young women, driving pressure to get married early, become pregnant right after marriage, and grow families quickly. The study identified key influencers, including family and community members, who enforced norms across all behaviors of interest. The findings underscore the need to implement intervention strategies that extend beyond addressing individual-level behavior change and aim to transform norms at the community level to improve social and health outcomes.