February 2023 J-PAL MENA Newsletter
Dear all,
We hope your 2023 is off to a motivating, mission-driven, and energized start. This year marks J-PAL’s 20th anniversary and we at J-PAL MENA are reflecting back and forging ahead. We invite you to read the latest edition of Improving Lives Through Evidence, which captures last year’s successes and lessons, reflections on twenty years of promoting evidence-informed policy, and our priorities in MENA and worldwide going forward. J-PAL MENA will host several events this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary; follow our social media accounts for details throughout the year.
I also write to share another exciting transition: As J-PAL MENA nears completion of our third year—with a diverse research portfolio, deep policy partnerships, and a strong and talented team—my mandate to lead us through our founding phase is complete. I’m pleased to share that Ahmed ElSayed will take over as the next Executive Director of J-PAL MENA, building on his work as Director of Research and his leadership experience in rigorous research and policymaking. I won’t be going far, as I will become the Director of Policy and Communications at J-PAL Global at MIT and will stay on as an advisor to J-PAL MENA. Leadership transitions offer a great opportunity for fresh thinking and we invite your feedback and ideas: How can Ahmed and the J-PAL MENA team do even more to promote evidence-informed decision-making in the region? Please reach out and share your ideas with us.
I am also pleased to share the third edition of the J-PAL MENA newsletter with you below, featuring updates and exciting news from our office. A few highlights include our engagement at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, continuing the Global Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Seminar Series via a high-level conference, hosting the first Evaluating Social Programs course under the Egypt Impact Lab, and news we’re proud to share about our team members’ successes. I hope you find these stories informative and engaging.
Please keep in touch on social media for more ways to be connected to J-PAL MENA and the Morocco Employment Lab, and I hope to see you soon at an upcoming event in Egypt, Morocco, or online.
Best wishes,
Alison Fahey
Executive Director, J-PAL MENA at AUC
[email protected]
NEWS FROM J-PAL MENA
J-PAL MENA at COP27: Connecting evidence on climate to policy
J-PAL MENA staff were on the ground presenting and building connections at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh. Alison Fahey, J-PAL MENA at AUC Executive Director, Ahmed El-Sayed, Director of Research, and Heba El-Sahn, Senior Policy and Training Associate, shared evidence from J-PAL’s global evidence base on climate change and agriculture on a number of panels alongside policymakers and stakeholders in the climate space. Climate change is a growing portfolio at J-PAL MENA; you can expect to see more news on work related to climate, air, and water soon. Read more »
The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and J-PAL MENA at AUC host first Evaluating Social Programs course for Egypt Impact Lab strategic partners
In January 2023, J-PAL MENA at AUC hosted its first Evaluating Social Programs course under the umbrella of the Egypt Impact Lab in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. It was held in-person at the American University in Cairo and was attended by 60 participants. The course’s lectures and case studies used real-world examples from the Middle East (with an emphasis on Egypt) on a variety of themes including employment, gender, finance, and social protection. The course served as an opportunity to explain why and when randomized evaluations can be used to rigorously evaluate the impact of social programs as well as develop potential new evaluations under the Egypt Impact Lab. Learn more about EIL »
J-PAL MENA and UNICEF Egypt Wrap Up Second Phase of Global Evidence Series
J-PAL MENA at AUC and UNICEF Egypt co-hosted a conference (recording here) on January 15, 2023 to identify opportunities for evidence to inform poverty reduction efforts in Egypt. This conference, supported by Allianz, was part of the Global Evidence for Egypt Spotlight Seminar Series, which uses rigorous evidence to facilitate dialogues between Egyptian policymakers, development practitioners, and J-PAL affiliated professors on timely policy priorities in Egypt.
Using evidence from J-PAL’s global evidence base, the conference fostered discussions around evidence generation and use in the context of Egypt, with a focus on women’s empowerment, human capital development, financial inclusion, and rural development. Read more »
J-PAL MENA Staff Receive J-Star Awards For Their Outstanding Achievements
The J-Stars award acknowledges the extraordinary efforts made by J-PAL staff worldwide who work toward fulfilling the mission of J-PAL. We are proud to share that two of our staff were recognized for their incredible work: Nadeen ElAshmawy, Senior Policy Associate, received the Outstanding Contributor Award, and Sarah El-Sarrag, Senior Research Associate, received the Social Champion Award, respectively.
Nadeen was recognized for her range and caliber of contributions to our office since its founding in 2020, including anchoring a prominent partnership with UNICEF Egypt, for her exceptional knowledge of the global evidence base and compelling policy writing, and being a go-to colleague across J-PAL MENA for policy work.
Sara was recognized for her outstanding research leadership abilities, professional demeanor, unwavering support of the technical needs of the team, and her exceptional efforts with recruiting highly talented research staff.
ONGOING EVALUATIONS IN THE REGION
As we continue to grow our presence in Egypt and the region, our research partnerships are expanding. New research ranges from understanding the complexities women face when wanting to join the labor force to investigating whether offering micro loans for housing could increase wellbeing and assessing the impact of specialized skill sets such as nursing could potentially encourage more women to join the labor force in Upper Egypt. Click on the below links and find a few new MENA impact evaluations:
Assessing Female Labor Market Discrimination through Randomized Job Applications in Egypt
Caroline Krafft
The Impact of Microloans for Housing on Overall Family Well-Being in Egypt
Simon Franklin
The Direct and Indirect Effects of Female Training Interventions in a Traditional Society
Selim Gulesci, Ahmed ElSayed, Samer Atallah, and Marc Witte
CONNECTING THE DOTS FROM EVIDENCE TO POLICY: ON THE HORIZON
On the Horizon at J-PAL MENA at AUC
J-PAL MENA will welcome its first batch of MENA Scholars through its MENA Scholars Fellowship in Summer 2023. The Fellowship creates a pathway for MENA region-based researchers to build skills and experience to design and conduct randomized evaluations of poverty reduction and social development policies and programs. Read more »
The Egypt Impact Lab announced the first call for proposals for March 14th to launch the first round of funded randomized evaluations under the umbrella of the Egypt Impact Lab focusing on three thematic areas: Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Employment and MSME Development, Gender Empowerment and Family Development. Funded evaluations will be announced in Spring 2023. Apply here »
CONNECTING THE DOTS FROM EVIDENCE TO POLICY: RECENT EVENTS
February 20: MEL hosts research symposium in Morocco
The Morocco Employment Lab organized a symposium in partnership with the Millennium Challenge Account Morocco Agency on February 20 in Rabat, Morocco to disseminate all research findings to date and reflect on the lessons, challenges, and opportunities from developing an impact evaluation initiative for employment in Morocco. Watch the livestream recording »
February 20 - 21: J-PAL MENA to moderate at Arab Water Convention in Dubai
J-PAL MENA is moderating two sessions at the Arab Water Convention on Non-Conventional Water Resources: Business Opportunities from 20-21st of February in Dubai. Contact Heba El-Sahn to learn more. Learn more »
OUR TEAM
Team Spotlight: Amira Refaat
Meet the Director of Finance & Operations at J-PAL MENA, Amira Refaat, who joined last August! She brings a wealth of experience in the fields of finance and operations and joined us from her previous roles as a Senior Management Finance, Contracts and Procurement Unit at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Director Of Finance and Administration at the American University in Cairo (AUC).
Amira is building out the Finance & Operations team, already making invaluable contributions to the organization with her experience, insights, and steady approach. Amira will continue to expand the Finance & Operations team in the months ahead; if you know of any standout finance managers or finance professionals, please let us know.
J-PAL Middle East and North Africa (MENA), based at The American University in Cairo’s School of Business, leads J-PAL’s work in the Middle East and North Africa region. J-PAL MENA conducts randomized evaluations, builds partnerships for evidence-informed policymaking, and helps partners scale up effective programs.