世界银行-有原因的反叛：索马里青少年性别规范干预的效果（英）-2023.9-66页_3mb

Summary

The policy research working paper, titled "Rebel with a Cause: Effects of a Gender Norms Intervention for Adolescents in Somalia," analyzes a gender norms intervention program called "Choices" implemented for adolescents aged 10-14 in Somalia. The study uses a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to assess the impact of the program on attitudes, behaviors, and social dynamics related to gender norms. Key findings and results are as follows:

• Attitude Change: The Choices intervention led to a significant shift toward gender-equal attitudes among both boys and girls in the short term. Effects persisted for girls beyond the intervention period, but for boys, the impact diminished in some domains over time. The program was particularly successful in addressing attitudes related to education and women's roles in the economy, though attitudes around masculinity norms proved more resistant to change.

• Social Conformity: The intervention altered how adolescents expressed their gender attitudes in public settings, reducing inclination to conform to discriminatory norms even in the presence of peer pressure. Evidence suggests that boys were more influenced by the gender composition of their peer groups and the presence of other program participants, while girls showed mixed responses.

• Behavioral Outcomes: Participants demonstrated an increase in caring behaviors toward siblings of the opposite sex and a greater likelihood among boys to engage in household chores. Both boys and girls reported reductions in emotional and behavioral problems, indicating improved mental health outcomes, with no sustained increase in rebellion against authority.

• Parental Involvement: A complementary intervention for parents ("Engaging Men and Boys") resulted in marginally positive changes in parental gender attitudes, but these effects largely dissipated over time. Parental involvement did not significantly alter adolescent outcomes or elicit backlash effects.

• Effectiveness in Context: The program proved effective in an understudied, conflict-affected context, with impacts sustained over two years. Early adolescent intervention appears promising for fostering gender equality through school-based programs, though broader implications for societal change remain tentative given reliance on study-specific reference groups.

Implications: The intervention highlights the potential for school-based programs to foster sustainable gender norm shifts and reinforces gender-specific approaches to behavior change. Future studies should explore norm dynamics beyond peer groups and assess long-term impacts on labor market and educational outcomes to confirm effectiveness in livelihood transformation.