CSDE Affiliate Isabelle Cohen (Public Policy) published “A Big-Push Community Intervention Reduced Rates of Child Marriage by 80%” in Nature. Cohen and co-authors used a paired cluster-randomized trial in 18 communities to evaluate a locally tailored intervention to reduce child marriage in northern Nigeria. The study shows that the intervention decreased rates of marriage among adolescent girls from 86% in the control group to only 21% in the treatment group, demonstrating that a big push can significantly alter entrenched, normative behavior around child marriage. Although a key part of the intervention’s effect is a significant increase in girls re-enrolling in school, the authors argue that the intervention’s community focus reduces the likelihood of social backlash and contributes meaningfully to its success. Check out the policy brief that accompanied the publication of the article.