Norms shifting and behavior change in uncertain times: Assessing the state of the evidence

This commentary reflects on the current state of evidence on social norms interventions focused on improving health and economic outcomes for adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries. Drawing on a newly published global evidence review, it highlights how the field has evolved from narrow, individual-level strategies toward community-centered approaches. While conceptual clarity and implementation tools have improved, significant gaps persist in how interventions measure normative change, assess sustainability, and support communities to navigate pushback. Many programs adopt the language of norms without distinguishing them from individual attitudes, and without engaging reference groups or measuring shifts in collective expectations. Cost data and documentation of long-term impacts remain sparse. This commentary calls for a reimagined evidence agenda to build a stronger foundation for assessing implementation effectiveness and sustainability. It emphasizes the importance of understanding pushback not as failure but as a diagnostic of contested progress, and advocates for greater engagement of men and boys, whose roles in norm change remain underexplored. In the context of shrinking funding and rising resistance to gender equity, producing actionable evidence to support community-led change is imperative. This means building knowledge systems that are not only rigorous, but also community-centered, inclusive, resilient, and responsive.