Entertainment Media and Gender Norm Transformation Interventions for Young Women and Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

TL;DR

This review explores how entertainment media can help shift gender norms among young women in sub-Saharan Africa to improve health and livelihood outcomes.

Contribution

The study systematically maps evidence on the effectiveness of entertainment media in transforming gender norms for adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa.

Findings

Entertainment media is an effective approach for shifting gender norms and behaviors among adolescent girls.

Interventions spanned 15 countries and showed varying levels of effectiveness, from emerging to demonstrated.

More rigorous research is needed to fully understand the impact of these interventions.

Abstract

Adolescent girls and young women are particularly vulnerable to the influence of social and gender norms. This systematic review builds on a broader review of social and gender norms interventions, with the overall aim of identifying and mapping empirical evidence on efforts to improve health and livelihood outcomes of adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. The review examines the strategies, methods, mechanisms of change, and research on the effectiveness of the interventions in the field. We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed literature using established PRISMA methods. The sample included 35 articles, which represented 24 distinct interventions—the unit of analysis for this systematic review—that spanned 15 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, with eleven in East Africa, six in West Africa, two in South Africa, and one in the Northern and Central regions. Interventions covered a wide range of outcomes, including sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, child early marriage, and other areas. The interventions generally served adolescents and young adults up to age 24. Evaluations included observational, quasi-experimental, and randomized controlled designs. Some interventions included social norms measures, and there was varying evidence of effectiveness (from emerging evidence to demonstrated effectiveness). This review suggests that entertainment media is an effective approach for shifting gender norms, attitudes, and behaviors among adolescent girls and young women. More rigorous intervention research is needed.

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