The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

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Our mission is to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. We do this through research, policy outreach, and training.

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Affiliate

Moving ministries to mobile money

In our interview with affiliate Michael Callen, he shares his current research on mobile salary payments in Afghanistan. “I am extremely excited about the potential for this project to assist the Afghan government in a core function—paying its employees—and also, in creating a foundation for greater financial inclusion.”

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Event

Design and Effectiveness of Public Health Subsidies in Less Developed Countries

Although coverage rates and health outcomes are improving, many poor people around the world still do not benefit from essential health products. Join Pascaline Dupas on December 8 via webinar or in person on MIT's campus to learn about how the design of subsidies matter for maximizing coverage of preventive health products.

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Blog

When do innovation and evidence change lives?

Hundreds of millions of people across the developing world have benefited from evidence-based innovation. However, the link between research and policy change and concrete impact for the lives of the poor is complex and rarely follows a linear path. Executive Director Rachel Glennerster shares lessons learned for moving from effective research to action from J-PAL’s nearly two decades of work.

Woman selling produce in Kolkata.

Evaluation

The gender gap in entrepreneurship: Evidence from Ghana, India, and Sri Lanka

Researchers re-examined data from previous studies in Ghana, India, and Sri Lanka to better understand the impact of credit and cash grant variations on micro-enterprise profits. Their results suggest that the gender gap in micro-enterprise performance was not due to ability, but rather to women’s financial resources often being redirected to their husbands’ businesses.

869 ongoing and completed randomized evaluations in 80 countries