Study of Child Marriage Eradication Programmes and Their Sustainability in Jigawa State

Child marriage eradication programmes in Jigawa State operate in a context of high prevalence, strong socio-cultural endorsement, and limited institutional capacity, requiring carefully designed and sustained interventions to achieve lasting norm change. This study examines the design effectiveness and sustainability of child marriage eradication programmes in Jigawa State, focusing on interventions implemented between 2020 and 2024 in Dutse, Hadejia, and Ringim Local Government Areas. A mixed-method design was employed, with 90 programme implementers, community health workers, and parents, supplemented by 30 girls from supported communities, completing structured questionnaires and interviews. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, content analysis, and sustainability scoring. Findings indicate that programmes combining economic support to families with community norm change dialogue demonstrate greater sustainability and broader impact than those relying solely on information campaigns. However, male community leaders' buy-in remains the most critical sustainability determinant. Government coordination is found to be weak, with multiple overlapping programmes lacking unified messaging. Recommendations include national standardisation of child marriage programme models, deliberate inclusion of male community and religious leaders in programme governance, and a long-term national monitoring framework tracking marriage age trends at community level. Keywords: child marriage, eradication programme, Jigawa State, gender, sustainability