S2E1: Laws and Norms: Bridging Policy and Social Change in South Asia

Send us Fan Mail What comes first—laws or social change? In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia sits down with Julie Thekkudan, South Asia Consultant for Equality Now in South Asia, to explore the powerful and often complex interplay between social norms, legal reform, and justice systems. Julie shares her personal journey into women’s rights advocacy, beginning with childhood observations that sparked a lifelong commitment to equality. Together, they unpack how patriarchal norms, biases in law enforcement, and deep-rooted societal attitudes affect survivors of gender-based violence, and how collaborative regional initiatives like Samaj (South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice) are striving to change that. This conversation shines a light on both the barriers and breakthroughs in advancing gender equality across South Asia, offering inspiration for advocates and policymakers around the world.Our Recommendation:Theory and practice of social norms interventions: eight commonpitfalls - Beniamino Cislaghi and Lori HeiseThe paper highlights eight common pitfalls in social norms interventions, offeringguidance on avoiding these challenges to effectively promote health and behaviorchange in low- and middle-income countries.Julie's Recommendations:Unbelievable – a series exploring the challenges survivors face in seeking justiceThe Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – a thought-provoking look at gender and power📖 Use alongside the Transforming Social Norms ToolkitFollow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!Executive producer and host: Cäcilia RiedererSpecial guest: Julie ThekkudanProducer and writer: Dora EhrlichEditor: Tabusum AkterSpecial thanks to Aakansha Saxena and Bryna Subherwal for their support in making this episode happen.