09/08/2026
was pleased to honor the invitation from UNFPA Sierra Leone and actively participate throughout the five-day Training on Social Norms and Change, held from 3–7 August 2026 at the Purposeful Office in Freetown.
The training, organized under the “Accelerating Progress Towards the Elimination of Female Ge***al Mutilation in Sierra Leone” project, provided an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of how social and gender norms influence individual and community behaviours, and how evidence-based approaches can be used to support sustainable positive change.
Throughout the week, GYNED representative actively engaged in the training sessions, group exercises, discussions, reflections and practical learning activities. The training significantly enhanced participants understanding of:
🔹 The concepts and dynamics of social and gender norms;
🔹 How social norms influence individual and collective behaviours;
🔹 Approaches for identifying and analysing harmful social norms;
🔹 Strategies for designing effective, community-centred social and behaviour change interventions;
🔹 The importance of meaningful community engagement and locally led solutions; and
🔹 Approaches for monitoring progress and measuring changes in social norms over time.
For , the value of the training goes beyond the knowledge acquired during the week. The learning will strengthen how we design, implement, monitor and evaluate our programmes, particularly our work with young people, adolescent girls, women, families and communities.
We will strategically cascade the knowledge and lessons learned across our teams, ensuring that the principles and tools gained are integrated into our daily programme implementation, community engagement, advocacy, training, monitoring and partnership activities.
We will also apply the learning to strengthen our efforts to address harmful practices and behaviours by working more intentionally with communities, influencers, families, young people and other key stakeholders to promote positive social and gender norms and sustainable community-led change.
At , we believe that sustainable development requires more than delivering interventions, it requires understanding the social realities that shape people’s choices and supporting communities to become active drivers of positive change.
We therefore look forward to translating the knowledge gained into practical action, stronger programming and meaningful impact within the communities we serve.
sincerely appreciates and thank UNFPA Sierra Leone and the organizers, facilitators and participating partners for this valuable capacity-building opportunity and for their continued commitment to strengthening the capacity of local partners to contribute to the elimination of harmful practices and advance positive social change in Sierra Leone.
Together, we can accelerate progress towards a Sierra Leone free from harmful practices and where every girl and woman can live with dignity, safety and opportunity.
