“On the Wings of Wishes” (Icchedana), Adolescent Girls in Bangladesh Taking Flight Using A Social Behavioral Change Communication Program to Address Child Marriage Related Social Norms: A Longitudinal Panel Study

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between exposure to a transmedia entertainment-education (EE) social and behavior change communication (SBCC) initiative with shifting child marriage-related social norms. Districts were selected purposively, whereas households were selected randomly. A total of 1102 households (n = 3905) with fathers, mothers, adolescent boys, and girls completed the baseline and endline survey. Logistic regression using panel data was conducted. There was a decline in the perceived prevalence of child marriage and dowry exchange within respondents’ communities at endline. For injunctive norms, fathers reported significantly higher levels of disapproval for child marriage at endline. However, the reverse was true for mothers and adolescent girls. Almost all respondents had a significantly lower odds of identifying rewards/benefits and punishments/consequences associated with rejecting child marriage at endline. Most respondents with exposure to Icchedana were more likely to report the importance of injunctive norms or expectations of others on their behaviors, than those who were not exposed. Exposure to EE contributes to improved articulation of and shifts in social norms and engenders normative changes at the population level.