The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 900 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
Our affiliated professors are based at over 120 universities and conduct randomized evaluations around the world to design, evaluate, and improve programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty. They set their own research agendas, raise funds to support their evaluations, and work with J-PAL staff on research, policy outreach, and training.
Our Board of Directors, which is composed of J-PAL affiliated professors and senior management, provides overall strategic guidance to J-PAL, our sector programs, and regional offices.
J-PAL recognizes that there is a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of economics and in our field of work. Read about what actions we are taking to address this.
We host events around the world and online to share results and policy lessons from randomized evaluations, to build new partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and to train organizations on how to design and conduct randomized evaluations, and use evidence from impact evaluations.
Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters, and connect with us for media inquiries.
Based at leading universities around the world, our experts are economists who use randomized evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. Connect with us for all media inquiries and we'll help you find the right person to shed insight on your story.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Our global office is based at the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It serves as the head office for our network of seven independent regional offices.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
How do policies affecting private sector firms impact productivity gaps between higher-income and lower-income countries? How do firms’ own policies impact economic growth and worker welfare?
How can we identify effective policies and programs in low- and middle-income countries that provide financial assistance to low-income families, insuring against shocks and breaking poverty traps?
We host events around the world and online to share results and policy lessons from randomized evaluations, build new partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and train organizations on how to design and conduct randomized evaluations.
Applications are now open for a four-day randomized evaluation design workshop as part of the Displaced Livelihoods Initiative (DLI) and the Humanitarian Protection Initiative (HPI) to develop projects in the Sub-Saharan Africa organised by J-PAL and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).
As part of the "Development Methodologies" Chair held by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, a summer school for African researchers, project leaders and other partners will be organised from July 7 to 11, 2025 in Dakar, on the campus of the African Center for Higher Studies in Management (CESAG).
In this webinar, panelists will discuss the need for more evidence around effective programs to combat discriminatory practices (e.g. racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia etc.), showcasing an example of interdisciplinary, policy-relevant research focused on prejudice reduction.
This webinar will feature evidence of the Gendered Impacts of Covid-19 in countries across South Asia and will explore how these learnings can inform crisis recovery and enhance the socio-economic security of vulnerable women.
This webinar will explore why, when, and how randomised evaluations can be used in the environment, energy, and climate action space and the role of rigorous evidence in designing policy that can effectively tackle challenges in this field.
The Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa at the American University in Cairo are proud to announce the launch of the Egypt Impact Lab. Learn about its partners' top priorities and the course for conducting...
J-PAL Europe is pleased to announce that applications are now open for a three-day evaluation design workshop tailored to the interests of humanitarian organisations that intend to explore randomised evaluations as a complement to their evaluation, learning and innovation toolkit. As long as public...
This webinar shed light on the process, benefits, and challenges of using randomised evaluations to generate evidence in the climate action space in Europe.
This webinar explores findings from five research projects across India that attempt to understand the hidden costs of the pandemic borne by underserved communities. Presenters will also delve into the implications of these disruptions for the design of future social programmes as well as emerging...
This upcoming Global Evidence for Egypt spotlight seminar on fertility and family planning will focus on what global evidence tells us about promoting healthy behaviors and encouraging family planning to curb population growth in Egypt.