Challenging Gender Norms Through Theatre, Radio, and Community Mobilization

Women play a vital role in agri-food systems yet face significant barriers to land inheritance and economic participation. In line with International Women's Day 2025's theme, #AccelerateAction, ICARDA, under the auspices of SAPLING, Mixed Farming Systems, PRIMA Medwhealth, and F2R CWANA, is driving gender-transformative approaches in Ethiopia and Morocco, addressing harmful gender norms and promoting inclusive agricultural communities. 

Empowering Women in Ethiopia's Sheep Breeding and Fattening Programs 

In Ethiopia, ICARDA and local partner NGO, WE-Action, implemented Start Awareness Support Action (SASA) to challenge harmful gender norms in sheep farming. Originating from the health sector, SASA is a community mobilization approach that uses community discussions and radio programming around harmful gender norms to raise awareness and facilitate behavior change. Through Sheep Fattening and Community-Based Breeding Programs, mixed and women-only cooperatives, and community action plans, SASA fosters behavioral change by engaging Positive Deviants (PDs) and Community Activists (CAs), who are influential community members, to drive social change and improve technical knowledge while addressing the socio-cultural barriers that limit women's participation and leadership in agricultural innovation. 

In the study, six persistent gender norms that limit improvement in livestock-based gendered livelihoods have been identified:

• Unequal gendered participation in sheep/livestock marketing
• Unequal gendered decision-making power over resources
• Unequal gender division of labor
• The subordinated position of married women
• Gender-based violence
• Intersectional forms of discrimination 

SASA in Action

ICARDA's SASA methodology is reshaping gender norms in sheep farming through a four-phase process: Start, Awareness, Support, and Action.

In the Start and Awareness phases, 14 SASA support staff, including researchers, journalists, and agricultural extension workers, received training to facilitate discussions on gender norms. These discussions centered on the six key restrictive gender norms, and were led by 10 PDs and 17 CAs, reaching 8500 beneficiaries directly.

The Support phase leveraged local radio programs in Kembatisa (the local language in Doyogena District) and Amharic and partnered with institutions like women's and children's offices, police, and microfinance bodies to amplify awareness and provide resources for change.

Finally, in the Action phase, communities implemented solutions to transform gender norms. Quantitative data revealed a significant shift: 35.1% of women who engaged in the initiative rejected the belief that men should have more rights to sell livestock than women, compared to just 14.7% of non-participating women. Similarly, 25% of male participants opposed this norm, versus only 12.8% of non-participating men.

Qualitative insights reinforced these findings. Once limited to financial discussions, community cooperatives now serve as platforms for gender dialogues, fostering greater awareness and inclusion. Through SASA, ICARDA is improving livelihoods and fostering a cultural shift towards gender equity in agriculture.

"…We didn't have a culture of discussing gender [norms] during our cooperative meetings. Now, thanks to the approach provided by our facilitators, we discuss gender openly. This has deepened our understanding of our rights and gender equality. We now have the confidence to talk about our rights..." - Woman Farmer, Ethiopia 

Addressing Gender Inequalities in Morocco's Land Ownership and Entrepreneurship  

While Morocco faces similar gender equality issues as other MENA countries, the 2004 Family Code, Moudawana, which introduced progressive reforms aimed at improving women's rights, constituted an important step forward in bringing about greater equality. However, the law became obsolete in many rural areas, where customary practices often override legal provisions. This is most evident in land ownership and entrepreneurship, where women continue to struggle for recognition and control over their assets. Legal entitlements exist, but cultural barriers make them difficult to enforce. ICARDA conducted action research using an innovative participatory approach titled 'The Theatre of Oppressed' to investigate the challenge and provide evidence-based data to policymakers.  

A Stage for Change

Seeking to challenge these deep-rooted norms, ICARDA, in collaboration with Oxfam and Spect'Act Foundation, introduced 'Theatre of the Oppressed', an interactive drama technique pioneered by Brazilian dramatist Augusto Boal. The method encourages audiences to step into the roles of protagonists facing oppression, exploring solutions through improvisation and debate.

A series of nine plays, informed by focus group discussions in the Souss-Massa and Fes-Meknes regions, showcased the gender inequalities women encounter daily. One scene depicted a female cooperative member facing sexual harassment on her way to sell her products, highlighting the risks of women's economic mobility. Another addressed inheritance disputes, showing a brother unilaterally deciding to sell family land against his sister's wishes. About 450 spectators attended the 9 plays. 

Younger participants, particularly women, argued for greater financial independence, while older men and a few women clung to traditional gender roles. Many insisted that land inheritance should follow customary rules, rejecting any notion of land distribution to women. "This discussion is unnecessary," one man declared.  

Cracks in the System 

Yet the session also revealed shifting attitudes. Once hesitant to assert their rights, a few women spoke publicly about inheritance and economic autonomy for the first time.

 “I used to think it was shameful for a woman to claim her inheritance,” admitted Malika, 48, from Souss-Massa. “Now, I feel I can talk about it with confidence.” 

The regional divide was particularly striking. Only 35% of participants in Fes-Meknes upheld traditional inheritance norms, compared to 50% in Souss-Massa. The play led to a positive shift in perspective for 29% of participants across both regions, with 21% of men and 31% of women expressing a change in their views on women's inheritance rights. While resistance remains strong, the findings suggest that change is possible, particularly as younger generations become more vocal in questioning entrenched practices.

Beyond the Stage 

Legal reforms alone will not dismantle centuries of patriarchal customs. Without cultural transformation, policies remain symbolic at best. As Morocco looks toward revising its Family Code and the 2026 International Year of Women Farmers, ICARDA’s work underscores the need for continued grassroots engagement. By amplifying women’s voices and fostering public debate, initiatives like ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’ raise awareness and challenge the foundations of gender inequality. 
Check out the podcast! 
The road ahead is long, but the conversation has started. 

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Authors: 

• Dina Najjar, Senior Gender Scientist, Social, Economics and Policy Research Group, ICARDA 
• Meseret Tsige Abebe, Post-Doctoral Fellow in Gender Research 
• Dorsaf Oueslati, Senior Research Assistant - Gender Equality, Inclusion and Women's Empowerment