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).
Despite widespread support for policies and programs aimed at tackling discrimination, more research is needed to identify which strategies are effective and in which contexts. In this webinar, panelists will discuss the value of rigorous, interdisciplinary research to identify strategies for...
Tailored to the needs of MSMEDA project staff, this three-day, in-person training will provide an in-depth look at why and when randomized evaluations can be used to rigorously measure social impact, methods and considerations for their design and implementation, and how findings can inform evidence...
The event, co-hosted with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, will focus on what can be learned from a randomized evaluation conducted in Qena, Egypt about the impact of types of capital assistance on business and economic outcomes in Egypt.
While there exists a growing body of rigorous research that aims to understand the impact of development programs, it often takes a long time for evidence to inform policy and improve the lives of vulnerable populations at scale. This webinar, organized as a part of Campbell South Asia's Evidence...
J-PAL South Asia is collaborating with Belongg, Dalberg and Breakthrough to host the inaugural edition of the xSDG UnConference on designing inclusive social programs and policies to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Held live over Zoom, this five-day training will equip participants with the resources and knowledge to engage with impact evaluations of social programs in Africa.
Live via Zoom | 12pm Ghana/1pm Nigeria/2pm South Africa/3pm Kenya
J-PAL’s Jobs and Opportunity Initiative (JOI) is excited to launch its African Scholars program beginning in the Fall 2021 request for proposal round, which will offer research funding to African scholars (individuals who have completed their PhD in Economics or a related field who are based at an...
J-PAL South Asia’s CareerTalk aims to engage with a diverse cohort of college and university students interested in learning more about the development sector in India and employment opportunities at J-PAL South Asia. This webinar will be conducted on 17 July 2021 at 3:00–4:00 pm IST.