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

Teacher with child

Rigorous testing of social policies in Europe: What are we learning?

Researchers in the J-PAL network have conducted over 80 ongoing or completed randomized evaluations of social programs and policies across 20 European countries, with a particular focus on education and labor markets. J-PAL Europe has launched a summary of insights generated from this research.
Woman works with a sewing machine in Ghana

Reflecting on J-PAL’s Jobs and Opportunity Initiative’s first year

Quality employment is one of the many ways people can graduate from poverty. Yet, unemployment remains is a problem that has only become more salient through the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of 2020, the Jobs and Opportunity Initiativehas funded more than twenty projects that seek to answer...
A view of the Boston common, city hall, and distant skyscrapers

Promoting upward mobility in partnership with state and local governments: A blueprint for future evaluations

This blog post is the final piece in a series on how state and local governments in the United States can promote upward mobility in their communities. It is part of J-PAL North America’s work to develop a learning agenda that summarizes the core research priorities from state and local governments...
A woman wearing a mask helps an older woman to tie on her mask.

Monitoring the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia has wreaked havoc on Indonesia's economy. J-PAL SEA has been conducting a continuous online survey since April 2020 to provide real-time data on the impact of COVID-19 in Indonesia.
Commuters ride an escalator in London

Promoting upward mobility in partnership with state and local governments: The intersection of gender, race, health, and poverty alleviation

This blog post is part two of three in a series on how state and local governments in the United States can promote upward mobility in their communities. It is part of J-PAL North America’s work to develop a learning agenda that summarizes the core research priorities from state and local...
Two South African youths engaging in online skills training

Reducing labour market information frictions with skill certificates: Evidence from South Africa

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Limited information during a firm's hiring decision or a workseeker's search can lead to "information frictions" that may contribute to the high global youth unemployment rate. In a recently published paper, J-PAL affiliated researchers showed how assessing youth workseeker skills in South Africa...
A woman wearing a hijab sits typing at a computer

Improving female labor force participation in MENA

Female labor force participation in MENA is the lowest globally. Evidence from recent randomized evaluations conducted in MENA help shed light on some reasons why participation rates are so low and what types of policies could help increase them.
A microphone sits on top of a pile of pillows and blankets

Behind the scenes: Making the J-PAL Voices podcast

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With J-PAL Voices, J-PAL North America is making its first foray into podcasting. J-PAL North America’s Rohit Naimpally and Dave Lishansky of David Benjamin Sound take you behind the scenes and reflect on the experience of producing this podcast together.