VoxDev Development Economics S6 Ep28: Can storytelling reduce violence against women and children?
Jul 16, 2025
Amber Peterman, a UNICEF staff member and edutainment advocate, discusses the transformative power of storytelling in reducing violence against women and children. She shares insights from her recent review that highlights how engaging narratives can challenge harmful practices like FGM and child marriage. Peterman explores successful interventions in countries like Vietnam and Senegal, demonstrating edutainment's potential to shift community norms and promote pro-social behavior. The conversation reveals both the effectiveness and challenges of utilizing entertainment as a tool for social change.
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How Edutainment Works
- Edutainment blends education and entertainment to influence pro-social behaviors via engaging storylines.
- It works by emotional immersion and role model effects encouraging behavior adoption.
MTV Sugar HIV Drama Impact
- MTV Sugar in Nigeria used edutainment via a serial drama to impact HIV testing behavior.
- Such programs show promising shifts in public health and gender equality behaviors.
Scale of Violence Problems
- Violence against women and children, early forced marriage, and FGM are widespread with long-term impacts.
- Prevalence includes 27% IPV among women and 20% child marriage, highlighting the scale of the problem.