A school curriculum in India shifted how adolescents think about gender—and the effects held two years later. It now reaches 4 million students annually across ~30,000 schools. Read the story in our #IWD2026 blog: https://bit.ly/4b82h5Q
A radio campaign in Burkina Faso set out to correct misinformation about the side effects of contraceptives, reaching 16M people. Adapted versions have since reached 120M people across 7 African countries. Read more: https://bit.ly/4b82h5Q
🎓 Munip Utama, a DEDP MicroMasters credential holder, shares how the online courses equipped him with tools to strengthen education programs in Indonesia. 📚 Learn more about his journey: https://bit.ly/4a2Q025
EVAH’s first RFP will support research on AI-enabled decision support tools used by frontline community & primary health workers across Africa and Asia, generating evidence for adoption and scale-up by governments and health systems.
The new Evidence for AI in Health (EVAH) initiative is requesting proposals. EVAH is a joint investment by Wellcome Trust, the Gates Foundation, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
‼️ ONE WEEK left to apply to J-PAL North America's #ClimateActionLearningLab! Join the second cohort of dedicated US climate leaders to identify and advance effective and equitable policy solutions to climate change in the US. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM97...
How can social protection programs combat poverty and protect people from shocks?
The Handbook of Social Protection, edited by Rema Hanna & Ben Olken, tackles this question. From cash transfers to insurance, it examines the evidence behind real-world programs: https://bit.ly/4uuTiVi
This shows that broader learning gains from foundational instruction may not appear immediately, but can emerge years later.
More key lessons for educators and policymakers: www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/t...
• A separate analysis of national exam results tells a different story: by Grade 7, students exposed to Catch Up scored higher on exams testing skills far beyond what the program directly teaches.
• Students made meaningful progress in foundational math and reading skills, equivalent to roughly 2-3 additional months of schooling.
• In the short term, almost all of the math gains came from the very subskills the program targets, but students didn't do any better on related tasks.
New research alert!
Here’s the big idea: Will giving students the tools to master foundational math and reading skills serve as a building block for broader learning?
@andydebarros.bsky.social & Theresa Lubozha set out to answer this by examining Zambia’s national “Catch Up” program.
In Bangladesh 🇧🇩, financial incentives to delay girls’ marriage reduced child marriage by 17% and increased girls’ schooling. Now integrated into BRAC programming, the program has reached nearly 5,000 girls.
🔗 Read the story in our #IWD2026 blog: https://bit.ly/4b82h5Q
AI is everywhere. But how can we know whether it's changing people's lives for the better?
We’re hiring an AI Policy Lead to help evaluate and scale promising AI applications for social good.
📍 Cambridge, MA
Learn more and please share: https://bit.ly/4rM1Ogw
Job alert! We’re hiring an AI Policy Lead to shape J-PAL’s work on AI for social good.
You’ll help evaluate and scale AI tools, build partnerships with governments and tech companies, and ensure AI adoption is grounded in evidence.
🏛️ Cambridge, MA. Apply now: https://bit.ly/4rM1Ogw
🎓 Having trouble choosing between PhD programs? On the J-PAL blog, PhD graduates shared their insights on how to navigate the process with confidence: https://bit.ly/4dyRvFc
Left: Photo of an electric vehicle being charged. Right: "Featured Event. Impact by Design: Launching a Research Partnership for Accessible Climate Action in Orlando. March 3, 2026, 2-3pm ET, Live over Zoom."
🧵 Upcoming event!
Impact by Design: Launching a Research Partnership for Accessible Climate Action in Orlando | Tuesday, March 3 from 2-3 pm ET mit.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
The Graduation approach began as pilots. Today, it has reached 6.7 million households across multiple countries, with lasting impacts. A decade after the first study, the Partnership for Economic Inclusion has released a survey on the landscape of Graduation. Read more (PDF): https://bit.ly/3OmRzRn
Our Global Executive Director Iqbal Dhaliwal spoke to NBC news about the AI Summit in India: “Hosting the Summit here [in the Global South] has allowed the conversation to center the issues that will affect these billions of people.”
🔗 Read the story: https://nbcnews.to/46oGbuj
At the AI Impact Summit today, our Global Executive Director Iqbal Dhaliwal shared a vital message: Don’t confuse engagement metrics with real-world impact. Read more in the Hindustan Times: https://bit.ly/3OkcuEx and check out our brand new AI Evidence Playbook: https://bit.ly/3On3m1U
Starting now - watch the live stream of AI for Social Good: Impact That Works, our full-day session at the AI Impact Summit today in New Delhi. Tune in to hear from leaders in tech, govt, research, and civil society on evidence-informed solutions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqDqN0Cbw9k
As development budgets face increasing pressure, our annual update underscores the importance of evidence in guiding effective, scalable solutions across areas like AI and climate change—and sets an agenda for the year ahead. Explore the digital report: https://bit.ly/4a8CsDv
In our annual update, we share reflections from a challenging year for global development and our vision and priorities for 2026. Explore the digital report, including an opening letter from our Global Exec Director Iqbal Dhaliwal:
🔗 https://bit.ly/4a8CsDv
Last week we welcomed the 7th cohort of Data, Economics, and Design of Policy master’s students to @mit.edu 🏛 Each student joined the master's program having already earned their #DEDP MicroMasters credential. Begin your #DEDP journey by enrolling in our online courses: https://bit.ly/3auQROa
🌍 💡 In the last five years, J-PAL's King Climate Action Initiative has informed policies and programs improving the lives of over 30 million people and protecting our planet. Read about their growing impact at the intersection of climate change and poverty: https://bit.ly/4bKyPET
📢 Registered yet for the #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026?
Don’t miss J-PAL’s official event, AI for Social Good: Impact that Works.
📍 New Delhi | Feb 17
⏰ Registrations close soon—register now: j-p.al/ai-summit
How can AI maximize social good, while minimizing risks? Our new AI blog series examines six key pathways: https://bit.ly/3NoQEiT
Curious to learn more? Join us in February at AI for Social Good: Impact that Works, an official event of India AI Impact Summit: j-p.al/ai-summit.
The new Energy Economics & Policy course in our Data, Economics, & Design of Policy online MicroMasters program is open for enrollment! 🌱 Explore how policy & economics shape energy markets & climate outcomes. It's free to audit—enroll today: https://bit.ly/3L56NJz
🇨🇩 Are local elites in the DRC able to collect taxes more effectively than government? Research by @abergeron.bsky.social with Gabriel Tourek, Pablo Balan, and Jonathan Weigel showed people were more willing to pay their taxes when local chiefs led collection. Read our summary: https://bit.ly/4jydj8h
From oil & gas to renewables—learn how energy markets work and how policy can drive change. ⛽ Enroll now in our free, online Energy Economics and Policy course with @mitxcourses.bsky.social: https://bit.ly/3L56NJz