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

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What works to enhance women’s agency: Lessons from a new literature review

In honor of International Women’s Day this week, we are highlighting insights from a new literature review of the most effective approaches to improving women's agency and sharing ideas for further research.
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How J-PAL's Evaluating Social Programs course catalyzed a new approach to impact evaluation in Virginia

By
  • Massey Whorley
In this guest post, Massey Whorley, Director of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives at the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), shares insights from attending J-PAL’s Evaluating Social Programs Course and how it informed efforts to design and implement randomized evaluations of VDSS...

Measuring the impact of information on mayors' policy decisions: Evidence from Brazil

By
  • Jonas Hjort
  • Diana Moreira
  • Juan Francisco Santini

How this year’s Nobel Prize winners helped shape an education revolution in Africa

TaRL Africa team member Ashleigh Morrell reflects on how Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee helped pave the way for a quiet Teaching at the Right Level revolution across schools in Africa.

Can we support SME growth by increasing demand for their products?

While there are many theories of the sources of the differences in size and wealth of economies between countries, economists have long argued that productivity gaps between firms in the private sector are a major contributor.

How do we achieve affordable, quality health care? Follow the evidence.

By
  • Darshak Sanghavi, MD
In this guest post, Darshak Shavani writes about how a commitment to evidence, and a connection by J-PAL North America, led to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center launching the first ever randomized evaluation of a major federal health insurance program in the...

J-PAL Africa launches the Digital Identification and Finance Research Initiative (DigiFI Africa)

J-PAL Africa, based at the University of Cape Town, recently launched the Digital Identification and Finance Research Initiative (DigiFI Africa). Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this USD$7 million research fund is designed to study the impact of innovative government and private...