Summary

“Social Norms are the rules that govern behavior. Gender norms are social norms defining acceptable and appropriate actions for women and men in a given group or society. They are embedded in formal and informal institutions, nested in the mind, and produced and reproduced through social interaction. They play a role in shaping women and men’s (often unequal) access to resources and freedoms, thus affecting their voice, power and sense of self.

The purpose of this study was to identify gender barriers, perceptions and factors that limit shared responsibility in the home and which influence the low participation of men in domestic and care work. The study was also conducted to identify, with the participants, intervention strategies that promote behavioral change around shared responsibility. Qualitative interviews covered individual beliefs, family and societal expectations and challenges. The focus group consisted of growth-oriented entrepreneurs with two or more employees and who have been in business for at least two years.”