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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

A group of women and children stand in a group, talking

IFII Blog Series: Applying a gender lens in measuring the impact of DFS on women’s empowerment

In the second installment of the IFII blog series, we discuss the importance of applying a gender lens to measuring impact and share practical considerations for measuring empowerment.
An Indian woman sits at a sewing machine, stitching a purse

Gender and Economic Agency Initiative funds nineteen new research projects on women’s work

GEA has completed its second full funding round, supporting nineteen research teams to produce evidence that addresses critical knowledge gaps on what works to support women’s economic agency. Read about the funded projects.
Children in a classroom

Evaluating and scaling job search tools with the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator

Read how J-PAL Africa and the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator have partnered over the last three years to design, test, and scale job search tools to address South Africa's youth unemployment problem.
A woman uses a mobile phone to make a cash transfer in front of a fruit stand.

Building a robust evidence-based research community: Strengthening pathways for African researchers

Researchers from many groups, including women, people of color, and people from low- and middle-income countries, are underrepresented in the field of economics and face numerous barriers to their growth. We hold the conviction that research grounded in knowledge of the geographic and cultural...
COP26 sinage

How evidence from randomized evaluations can inform climate finance at COP26

One of the goals of COP26 is to mobilize climate finance, but funding alone cannot guarantee effective climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. Because technological and policy innovations do not always achieve their desired effects in the field, climate financing should be informed by real...
A mother and her newborn baby lay in bed together.

Strengthening randomized evaluations with qualitative research: Baby’s First Years mothers' experiences

By
  • Sarah Halpern-Meekin
  • Katherine Magnuson
In this post, the researchers on the Baby's First Years study reflect on the value of qualitative research in both providing a deeper understanding of each participant’s background and context and painting a fuller picture of mothers’ experiences in the study.
Training staff posing for a group photo in Cairo, Egypt

Catalyzing the use of evidence for effective business training and finance in Egypt

Alison Fahey and Lobna Kassim reflect on the successful partnership between J-PAL MENA at AUC and the MSME Development Agency to create a culture of evidence-based program and policy design.
A folder labeled "Medical Bills" and marked "past due"

Exploring the benefits of rigorous evidence with the team behind the evaluation of RIP Medical Debt

By
Allison Sesso (Executive Director of RIP Medical Debt) and Wes Yin (UCLA) discuss the ongoing randomized evaluation of RIP Medical Debt’s model for buying and relieving medical debt.