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

Electric power plant facility in Johannesburg, South Africa

Powering households and industrial growth: Emerging insights from evolving evidence

Emerging evidence from randomized impact evaluations may provide insight to decision-makers on balancing the tension between industrial growth, energy use, and climate change mitigation—as well as increased connectivity and access for low- and middle-income communities.
A woman writes down data on a notepad while consulting a laptop in Indonesia

Improving data sharing practices: Developing a mutual understanding between researchers and policymakers

On May 17, J-PAL Southeast Asia (SEA) hosted a webinar to raise awareness about the importance of updated, secure, and ethical data sharing practices for evidence-based policymaking. Here are the key takeaways from the webinar.

Prepaid versus Postpaid Electricity: Provision, Access, and Efficiency

Many countries in Africa are transitioning from postpaid to prepaid electricity metering. However, the way this transition will affect households is not well understood. What are the differences between the two billing systems, and how can they affect energy access?
Audience and speakers at J-PAL MENA event: Global Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Seminar on early childhood development

Guiding investments in long-term human capital development in Egypt: A recap from the Global Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Seminar on early childhood development

J-PAL Middle East and North Africa (J-PAL MENA) at The American University in Cairo (AUC) co-hosted a seminar (recording here) with UNICEF Egypt on May 19, 2022 to share global evidence on early childhood development to guide investments in long-term human capital development in Egypt.
Female worker with helmet and safety vest scanning a box in a factory

JOI Brazil’s first year promoting evidence generation and use within Brazilian labor markets

The Jobs and Opportunity Initiative in Brazil (JOI Brazil) celebrated one year of working to promote the generation and use of evidence within the Brazilian labor markets. The celebration of its first anniversary and the commemoration of the International Workers' Day helped the is an opportune time...
Four people in conversation

Diversifying economics, part two: The Kauffman Foundation on bolstering diversity in research

By
Chhaya Kolavalli, a Senior Program Officer at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, discusses the importance of increasing diversity in research.
Four headshots of J-PAL North America health team members

J-PAL North America Staff Spotlight: Health Team

This Staff Spotlight highlights four J-PAL North America team members who work together to evaluate promising programs aimed at making health care in the United States more efficient, effective, and equitable.
Unidentified Ghanaian pupils in school uniform in a local village. Photo: nicolasdecorte | Shutterstock.com

Want to get girls to school in sub-Saharan Africa? Tackle poverty

Female education remains a key challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to the largest population of out-of-school girls. Poverty remains a key barrier to school enrolment, especially following the economic disruptions triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Can governments really hope to tackle...