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

Paraguayan saleswoman in front of clothing market

Evidence-informed strategies to support female microentrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean

One in three female workers in Latin America and the Caribbean are self-employed, but female microentrepreneurs encounter numerous unique barriers to running successful businesses that can vary across countries. A growing body of literature suggests that alternative training programs may be more...
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...
A person stands at a protest for women's rights.

Using (and generating) evidence to fight intimate partner violence in Latin America and the Caribbean

Due to the harmful effects of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), it is imperative to modify the interpersonal, social, and institutional factors related to the prevalence and intensity of this problem. This blog post showcases some interventions with potential for positive impacts as a call to...
Four panelists sit in front of a screen, while one person presents

Promoting healthy behaviors and family planning in Egypt: A recap from the Global Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Seminar

By
J-PAL MENA at AUC co-hosted a seminar with UNICEF Egypt on February 22, 2022 to share global evidence on fertility and family planning to promote healthy behaviors and curb population growth in Egypt. This seminar was the fifth in a broader Global Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Seminar Series.
Masked students sit at desks in a classroom.

J-PAL South Asia launches ASPIRE with US$6.3 million grant from Veddis Foundation to strengthen the culture of evidence-based policymaking in India

J-PAL South Asia’s efforts to promote policymaking based on scientific evidence and data in India has received a major boost with the launch of the Alliance for Scaling Policy Impact through Research and Evidence (ASPIRE) in partnership with the Veddis Foundation.
Podcasters are seen gathered at the Bokolmanyo refugee camp, in Bokolmanyo, Ethiopia. (Photo courtesy Dr Vandana Sharma)

End the pandemic of violence against women

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To end violence against women and girls requires effective prevention strategies that target its root causes. Such programs address pervasive inequalities and power differentials—especially gender norms that justify and normalize violence against women and girls.
An infographic outlines goals of the California Data Strategy.

The road to rigorous evaluation: training partnership builds use of evidence in California

By
  • Joy Bonaguro
  • Jason Lally
This post shares reflections from Joy Bonaguro, California Statewide Chief Data Officer, and Jason Lally, Deputy Chief Data Officer. In September 2021, CalData and J-PAL North America partnered to provide a training on Designing Rigorous Evaluations of Government Programs to participants from...
Young child crawling

Behind the scenes with researchers from the Baby’s First Years study

Baby’s First Years (BFY), a J-PAL North America-funded study, recently published results showing that monthly cash support impacts infant brain activity. In an interview with J-PAL staff, J-PAL affiliated professor Lisa Gennetian (Duke University) and researcher Kimberly Noble (Teachers College...