​​To understand whether projects and programmes to change discriminatory gender norms affecting adolescent girls are having their intended effect – and to make the necessary changes if they are not - it is important to monitor change (or lack of change) at regular intervals.  As well as being vital to help individual programmes and projects be as effective as possible, impact monitoring data and evaluations can contribute to the pool of global knowledge on how to change discriminatory gender norms. They can help identify what works and what does not in particular circumstances and can help designers and implementers of other programmes to avoid their mistakes and build on successes.

This Research and practice note focuses on monitoring gender norm change in programmes and projects, outlining key principles for monitoring and evaluating changes. Tips include using a combination of standardised and locally relevant indicators, aiming to capture insights into attitudes, intentions, practices and perceptions of norms, and following up several years after the end of a programme or project. The note also provides indicators of gender norm change which have been used in local, national and international surveys, such as the Demographic and Health Survey, World Values Survey and studies carried out by BRAC.

Rachel Marcus with Sophie Brodbeck