Changing gender norms of Kenyan Scouts: Baseline findings

PATH and Kenya Scouts Association are conducting operations research to address gender inequities and HIV/violence risk with boy and girl scouts in Kenya's Coast province.

Evidence suggests inequitable gender norms negatively influence health-related behaviors and perpetuate gender-based violence. In Kenya, children are socialized to tolerate GBV.

Trained scout leaders facilitate activities to help scouts think about gender issues to earn gender badges. The baseline questionnaire was administered to scouts at least 14 years old in 59 secondary schools in Mombasa and Kwale districts. Surveys were completed by 1,357 scouts (888 boys, 469 girls) ages 14-20. Data entry was done in Epi Info and analyzed with SPSS.

Although scouts reported positive attitudes toward many equitable gender norms, some inequitable norms were supported. For example, many supported the statement (84.1% boys, 77.8% girls), “It disgusts me when I see a man acting like a woman.” Nearly 1/3 of scouts agreed “There are times when a woman deserves to be beaten.” Overall, 91.1% of boys had witnessed some form of GBV in the prior six months. One in ten boys surveyed reported they had physically harassed girls weekly within the past six months. About 75% of girls had experienced some form of GBV in past six months.

Baseline findings reinforced need to promote equitable gender norms among scouts, and guided emphasis to specific areas, e.g., activities to decrease violence and harassment.

The findings from the end line (in progress) will inform future efforts to improve gender norms or to strengthen gender-related health programs.