Journal article
1 May 2018

How gender norms are reinforced through violence against adolescent girls in two conflict-affected populations

Author: Marni Sommer, Lindsay Stark, Gizman Abdella, Kathryn Falb, Yana Mayevskaya, Anaise Williams, Miguel Munoz-Laboy
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This article (closed access) discusses violence against women and girls in humanitarian settings,suggesting the core of efforts to prevent gender based violence must be reducing 'oppressive gender and social norms.' The paper discusses a study which analysed local attitudes towards and social norms around physical and sexual abuse of girls among two conflict affected populations - villages in South Kiyu in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudanese and South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopian camps. The article discusses how to reduce violence by addressing harmful gender norms about 'good' adolescent girl behaviour.