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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 young man stands at a whiteboard in front of a class of students, all wearing masks

Applying evidence to help students catch up

School closures due to Covid-19 have thrown education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) into crisis. How can we begin to address a disruption of this magnitude? To start, we can turn to the ample body of education evidence to guide us. Read to learn how evidence can guide education recovery...
Map of Latin America; participants' home countries are highlighted

J-PAL LAC welcomes the most diverse cohort yet to its impact evaluation Diploma program

J-PAL LAC is glad to welcome its fifth and most diverse Diploma cohort. Over six months, 32 students from six countries from LAC and 28 organizations will engage in over 100 hours of classes and conversations with J-PAL affiliates, UC Chile professors, and staff.
A woman sitting at a sewing desk smiles at the camera while cutting cloth with scissors

Growing the research agenda on women’s work

Through the Gender and Economic Agency Initiative (GEA), J-PAL is catalyzing a new body of innovative research on women’s work to support policymakers in implementing policies to support working women during and after the pandemic. GEA is now expanding our research portfolio with support from the...
Workers in construction helmets stand around a stack of boxes.

J-PAL LAC traz a Iniciativa de Empregos e Oportunidades ao Brasil

A crise da Covid-19 exacerba os desafios do mercado de trabalho no Brasil. Mais do que nunca, precisamos desenvolver soluções de política pública efetivas e baseadas em evidências. Em parceria com a Fundação Arymax, a B3 Social, a Potencia Ventures e o Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento, o J...
Workers in construction helmets stand around a stack of boxes.

J-PAL LAC brings the Jobs and Opportunity Initiative to Brazil

The Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated labor market challenges in Brazil. More so than ever, we need evidence-based solutions. With support from Fundação Arymax, B3 Social, Potencia Ventures, and the Inter-American Development Bank, J-PAL is bringing the Jobs and Opportunity Initiative (JOI Brazil) to...
Ryan Cooper lectures at a podium.

Alumni Voices from Government: Ryan Cooper ‘14, Experimental Policy Initiative, Budget Office of Chile

By
Formerly the executive director of J-PAL LAC, Ryan Cooper '14 now leads the Experimental Policy Initiative within Chile's Budget Office. He describes his journey from J-PAL to government in this Q&A.
A woman wearing a mask weighs bread in a store

Mapping the impact of COVID-19 on firms in LMICs: A snapshot from ongoing surveys

To understand how the pandemic has altered the business landscape in LMICs, J-PAL’s Firms Sector is synthesizing results from surveys conducted by J-PAL affiliates and invited researchers on the impact of COVID-19 on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) around the world. This snapshot...
Cardboard boxes filled with paper files

Pandemic provides unprecedented opportunities to take justice online

By
  • Joyce Sadka
  • Isabel Mejía Fontanot
Labor courts in Mexico and many other low- and middle-income countries often provide low quality services. Since 2015, we have partnered with the Mexico City Labor Court, one of the largest courts dealing with firing cases in Latin America, to innovate in improving the court’s functioning.