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Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, and read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters. For media inquiries, please email us.

More than a monthly cycle: Why menstrual health is a human right

Menstruation should never threaten someone’s health, safety, or education. But for millions of women and girls, the lack of access to menstrual products, clean water, private sanitation, and basic information can turn a natural cycle into a monthly crisis.

May 2026 North America Newsletter

J-PAL North America's May newsletter features newly funded projects across four RFPs, a new policy brief on Emergency Financial Assistance, and an upcoming Evidence Matters webinar.

World Bank: Morocco’s 'pioneer schools' program shows early gains in student performance

According to the World Bank, students enrolled in Pioneer Schools scored 82% higher in learning outcomes than students in comparable public schools outside the program after just one year. The findings come from an initial impact evaluation conducted by J-PAL, which examined how the new system is...

Some UAE schools to get new Arabic programme: What parents need to know

A new Arabic programme will be introduced across private schools in Ras Al Khaimah from September 2026. Called IQRA, the Arabic word for "read,” the programme was developed by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research. The trial, conducted by J-PAL MENA, the regional office...

Scaling evidence-based programmes is as much art as it is science

Scaling evidence-based education programmes requires identifying the non-negotiable components that drive impact and adapting everything else to fit within government systems.

Hartek Foundation partners with Punjab Police and J-PAL for gender-sensitivity training

With a focus on skill building, the Foundation conducted statewide training programmes for over 2,000 Punjab Police officials on gender sensitivity and mainstreaming women in policing, in collaboration with Punjab Police and J-PAL.

May 2026 Global Monthly Newsletter

In the May edition of our newsletter, catch up on evidence on what helps people on cash benefits find jobs, find out how trail bridges raised household consumption and farm profits in Rwanda, Africa's job challenge, how exports and regional markets can unlock growth and job creation, and more.

Where international finance meets development: The role of currency risk

Currency volatility in African markets shapes development outcomes by determining who can access capital and on what terms, with firms in shallow financial markets often forced to choose between expensive local-currency finance and exchange-rate risk from foreign-currency debt.