‘Transforming the world for girls’ is a three-part podcast series exploring how harmful gendered norms affect the lives of girls in developing countries.
This podcast brings together four years of learning on gender norms and adolescent girls, with a focus on Ethiopia, Nepal, Uganda and Viet Nam.
Through interviews with girls, their families and communities, and some of the world’s leading gender and development researchers, we explore how we can transform girls’ futures.
The podcast is divided into three episodes:
- Episode 1: What are gender norms, and how are they changing?
- Episode 2: Change is challenging
- Episode 3: Opportunities and challenges for girls’ empowerment
This podcast was created as an output of the UK Government-funded Transforming the Lives of Women and Girls project. View our Knowledge to Action resource series on adolescent girls and gender norms.
Frequently asked questions
Episode 1: What are gender norms, and how are they changing?
This episode introduces the concept of gender norms and explores how they are changing. It looks at gender norms through a historic lens to demonstrate that while change is slow, it is happening.
Part 1: What are gender norms?
Part 2: Change happens
Interviewees (May also appear in other episodes)
- Dr Caroline Harper, Head of Programme/Principal Research Fellow, ODI
- Dr Nicola Jones, Principal Research Fellow, ODI and Director, GAGE
- Dr Anita Ghimire, Director, Nepal Institute for Social and Environmental Research
- Rachel Marcus, Research Associate, ODI
- Bekele Tefera, independent consultant, Ethiopia
- Nikki Van Der Gaag, Director of Gender Justice and Women’s Rights, Oxfam Great Britain
Frequently asked questions
Episode 2: Change is challenging
This episode unpacks some of the many challenges associated with changing gender norms.
Part 1: The paradoxical nature of change creates challenges
Part 2: What are the wider conditions needed to facilitate change?
Part 3: Even if change is happening, there are powerful forces pushing back
Interviewees (May also appear in the previous and following episode)
- Carol Watson, independent researcher
- Dr Florence Kyoheirwe Muhanguzi, Senior Researcher, Makerere University, Uganda
- Paola Pereznieto, Research Associate, ODI
- Dr Fiona Samuels, Senior Research Fellow, ODI
Frequently asked questions
Episode 3: Opportunities for girls' empowerment
We explore three distinct areas of opportunity to change gender norms: policy and the law, communications, and education. We conclude the series with a reflection on the nature of gendered norms and provide opportunity for listeners to individually act on the lessons learned.
Part 1: Policies and laws to empower adolescent girls
Part 2: Communications, girls’ clubs and norms
Part 3: Girls’ education
Conclusion: Gender norms affect all of us: knowledge and understanding leads to change
Interviewees (also featuring interviewees from previous episodes)
- Dr Erin Murphy-Graham, Associate Adjunct Professor, University of California - Berkeley
Frequently asked questions
Further resources and reading
Links to topics and programmes discussed in the podcast:
- Promundo’s Men Care programme
- Nepal’s SSMK ‘Chatting with my Best friend’ radio programme
- Meena Communications Initiative, South Asia
For further research and resources on adolescent girls, visit:
- Knowledge to Action resource series: Adolescent girls and gender norms
- Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence
- Coalition for Adolescent Girls
- International Centre for Research on Women
- Population Council
For campaigns targeting adolescent girls:
Child marriage
Education