Gender-based violence (GBV) is not always a social norm or gender norm, and norm change programming is not always necessary to shift acceptance and prevalence of violent behaviours. Increased access to justice, availability of infrastructure and quality support services, economic and income-generation opportunities, as well as legislative and policy reforms, all contribute to reduced prevalence of violence. Underlying harmful gender and social norms influence virtually all forms of GBV. Even if a specific form of violence is not itself a norm, harmful social and gender norms often reinforce and justify violent behaviour.
Norm diagnosis can help to determine whether a specific form of violence is a norm, or if indirect social and gender norms are significant drivers of violence in the setting where the behaviour takes place. Where harmful social and gender norms are a key factor reinforcing violent behaviours, norm change interventions can contribute to violence prevention and response as part of a comprehensive approach across the socioecological framework.
