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

Mass Covid-19 vaccination center in Indonesia

Strengthening Covid-19 immunization demand: Lessons from existing evidence

J-PAL's Health sector co-chairs and staff discuss lessons from evidence for strengthening Covid-19 immunization demand.
A roadside billboard that reads "stay home, limit travel, save lives"

Encouraging adherence to preventive health guidelines during a pandemic: Lessons from rigorous Covid-19 evidence

This note provides an overview of the evidence from randomized evaluations that has come out during the Covid-19 pandemic thus far to combat these barriers. These general lessons on increasing uptake of healthy behaviors and improving the delivery of health products and services may be of value in...
Children study in a classroom.

Mitigating global learning losses: lessons from the pandemic

Researchers and policymakers in education are still only beginning to measure the significant learning and socio-emotional skill losses that occurred during the global outbreak of the coronavirus. This post outlines some ideas from recent and established rigorous research for governments and schools...
Wisconsin State Capitol Building

J-PAL North America State and Local Innovation Initiative’s resources for American Rescue Plan evaluation and evidence use

By leveraging the flexible funding offered by the American Rescue Plan, J-PAL North America's State and Local Innovation Initiative can support governments in building program evaluations into new policies and support the scale up of evidence-based approaches.
A woman stands in front of a bookcase wearing a black jacket and glasses.

Affiliate Spotlight: Tavneet Suri on the importance of locally-grounded research

A weak internet connection did not stop J-PAL Africa Scientific Director Tavneet Suri from getting her point across in our interview: Good research is done with an ear to the ground and a connection to the community. Calling in from her home country of Kenya, Tavneet emphasized how important it is...
African woman selling in a local market while using her mobile phone.

The challenges of targeting social protection programs

Delivering social benefits to people living in poverty in low- and middle-income countries can be particularly challenging as governments are unable to observe or measure the income of individuals and small businesses. How can these countries possibly identify the poorest in society in the absence...
Women prepare food for sale in front of a shop in Kenya.

Preparing for shocks through Universal Basic Income: Evidence from Kenya

Do the effects of pre-existing social assistance programmes persist during health and economic shocks?
Two smiling women exchange a roll of fabric inside a textile factory in Zimbabwe.

Jobs and Opportunity Initiative commits first round of funds for research on entrepreneurship and enterprise development

Covid-19 has had a dramatic and lasting impact on the micro, small, and medium enterprise landscape worldwide, driving many to shut down or radically reshape the way they do business. The consequences of this shift extend beyond the firm to the livelihoods of its workers and their families...