Female genital cutting is not a social coordination norm

Efferson, Charles; Vogt, Sonja; Elhadi, Amy; Ahmed, Hilal; Fehr, Ernst

doi:10.1126/science.aaa7978

Cited by 92 publications

(116 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…26 Using econometric analysis of demand to detect the existence and effect of consumption norms is an indirect approach and there may be other explanations for perceived patterns of demand than the existence of a norm. There can be more direct ways of empirically investigating the existence of norms, such as the analysis by Efferson et al (2015) of female genital mutilation (FGM), which showed that FGM did not appear to be driven by a norm in specific communities. environmental damage, is that such policies may be ineffective, if the original, pre-policy, norm remains an equilibrium norm, or even counter-productive in terms of lowering welfare if the consumption norm is no longer an equilibrium norm and the loss of benefits from conformity outweigh the gains in reducing pollution damage costs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental policy when consumers value conformity

Ulph

2021

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management

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We present a model of consumer behaviour when consumers value conformity and examine the implications for environmental policy. The model shares a feature set out in Dasgupta, Southerton, Ulph and Ulph (2016) of having a structure of preferences for conformity which induces a mass of consumers to adhere exactly to a norm level of consumption (clumping). However we extend our previous analysis by analysing the conditions for the existence and potential uniqueness of consumption norms. In doing so we introduce threshold effects whereby individuals adhere to a norm only if sufficiently many others do so. Taken together these have striking implications for environmental policy in the case where the norm good generates pollution emissions. Clumping means many individuals will not change behaviour unless the norm changes while threshold effects plus clumping means that it may be hard to change a norm. We show that the use of Pigovian taxes to control behaviour may be either ineffective or welfare reducing, and that the optimal Pigovian tax will work only if it is above some threshold level. There are parameter values for which quantity-based injunctive policies raise welfare relative to no intervention while optimal Pigovian taxes would lower welfare.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental policy when consumers value conformity

Ulph

2021

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management

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“…Testing the assertions of the social convention approach, Efferson et al (2015) studied FGM/C in the Gezira Region of Central Sudan and found that "marriage pools did not typically divide or fragment communities based on cutting practices" (p. 1447). They further asserted that theoretical analysis showed that coordination did not explain the variation observed in cutting rates even if one allowed for multiple marriage pools within communities.…”

Section: Social Norms and Fgm/cmentioning

confidence: 99%

FGM/C decision-making process and the role of gender power relations in Sudan

Eldin¹,

Babiker²,

Sabahelzain³

et al. 2018

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The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues-from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programmes, and technologies that improve lives around the world. Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York, the Council is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organisation governed by an international board of trustees. www.popcouncil.orgThe Gender and Reproductive Rights Resource and Advocacy Centre (GRACe) is a leading regional center of excellence on gender and reproductive health and rights; Providing quality resources for all stakeholders, building capacities, promoting evidence-based planning and policy for empowering women and men and promoting reproductive health as a fundamental human right for all. GRACe values are gender equality, women empowerment, integrity, respect for human rights and excellence. It aims to promote gender equality and reproductive health and rights of the community in general and of women in Sudan and the region.

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“…One study of FGC support in West Africa found that, in contradiction to SCT, 87% of the variation in FGC persistence was attributable to household and individual-level factors [42]. Similarly, the smooth distribution of village-level FGC rates in Sudan, rather than the very high or very low rates that SCT would predict [43], suggests a more complex aetiology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes towards female genital cutting among adolescents in rural Burkina Faso: a multilevel analysis

Greis

Bärnighausen

Bountogo

et al. 2020

Tropical Med Int Health

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objective Despite decades of abandonment efforts, female genital cutting (FGC) prevalence rates in Burkina Faso remain high. We present updated prevalence data from rural adolescents and examine factors associated with FGC receipt and attitudes, testing predictions of social convention and modernisation theory regarding the abandonment process.methods We interviewed 1644 adolescents aged 12-20 years from 10 villages and one sector of Nouna town in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance site in late 2017. Response-weighted prevalence for self-reported FGC receipt, beliefs about religious requirements, and attitudes about abandonment were calculated. We used bivariate regression and two-level hierarchical models to test whether social convention or modernisation theory-related factors predicted current FGC attitudes.results 43% of women in our sample reported having undergone FGC; 74% of women and 76% of men believed FGC should be abandoned. The strongest predictors of FGC receipt were religion, ethnicity, the village's FGC rate and mother's education. The strongest predictors of FGC abandonment attitudes were religion, ethnicity, belief that FGC is religiously required, and own FGC status. Males' attitudes were less determined by community factors than females'; females' attitudes were more strongly influenced by factors linked to modernization, such as maternal education and household wealth.conclusions FGC continues to be common in rural and small-town Burkina Faso, and our analysis suggests that social conventions play an important role in its continuation. However, modernisationrelated factors were stronger predictors of abandonment attitudes than of FGC status, particularly in adolescent women. The changes these relationships suggest may benefit the next generation of girls.keywords Burkina Faso, female genital cutting, social convention theory, modernisation theory, adolescents Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equity), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals) Tropical Medicine and International Health

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Female genital cutting is not a social coordination norm

Abstract: New data from Sudan question an influential approach to reducing female genital cutting

Cited by 92 publications

References 7 publications

Environmental policy when consumers value conformity

Environmental policy when consumers value conformity

FGM/C decision-making process and the role of gender power relations in Sudan

Attitudes towards female genital cutting among adolescents in rural Burkina Faso: a multilevel analysis

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