Researchers in our network worked closely with governments and NGOs to develop and test innovative solutions to issues exacerbated by the pandemic.

In partnership with Facebook, Emily Breza (Harvard University), Marcella Alsan (Harvard University), Abhiji Banerjee (MIT), Arun Chandrasekhar (Stanford University), Esther Duflo (MIT), Benjamin A. Olken (MIT), and coauthors applied insights from earlier Covid-19 messaging research to launch a large-scale Facebook messaging campaign and corresponding evaluation reaching more than 35 million people. The campaign led to a reduction in holiday travel and a subsequent decline in Covid-19 infections.

In a Post-Primary Education Initiative-funded study, Abu Shonchoy (Florida International University) and coauthors Tomoki Fujii, Christine Ho, and Rohan Ray are testing the impact of nudges on the uptake of televised educational programs in Bangladesh, broadcasted to combat learning decay during pandemic-induced school closures. The intervention delivers regular and repetitive nudges via SMS and automated voice calls to households. Learning outcomes will be measured upon return to school through exams and SMS-based spot quizzes with achievement rewards.

In an Innovation in Government Initiative-funded study, Manisha Shah (University of California, Los Angeles) is working with the Katsina State Government in Nigeria to develop and pilot a girls’ life skills program to reduce Covid-exacerbated school dropouts. After piloting in 160 schools in Katsina in 2021, the program will scale across all schools over a five-year period, reaching up to 150,000 girls. The program may also be used to inform the development of life skills programs in seven other states in northern Nigeria.

In a Jobs and Opportunity Initiative-funded study, Isaac Mbiti (University of Virgina), Morgan Hardy (New York University Abu Dhabi), and coauthor Jamie McCasland are examining the long-term impact of the Ghanaian government- sponsored National Apprenticeship Programme targeted at youth unable to continue their education beyond junior secondary school. This long-term follow-up will examine the labor market trajectories of youth who received training, as well as shed light on the importance of trainer characteristics and incentives for trainee labor market outcomes.

In a landmark ten-year follow up study, Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and coauthor Garima Sharma studied the long-run effects of the Targeting the Ultra-Poor program, a "big-push" intervention providing a large asset transfer to the poorest households in India. A randomized evaluation that followed these households over ten years found positive effects on consumption, food security, income, and health.

In a Social Policy Research Initiative-funded study, Damon Jones (University of Chicago), Marcella Alsan (Harvard University), and coauthor Crystal Yang are conducting two complementary randomized evaluations in the United States to test the idea that beliefs regarding racial discrimination in one system will tend to be correlated with discrimination in other systems. They will measure the consequences of discrimination in criminal justice and health care, given the role each plays in generating inequality and mitigating the impact of the pandemic on marginalized groups.

New affiliates in 2021

J-PAL welcomed 38 new affiliates, strengthening our network of researchers committed to advancing evidence-informed policymaking around the world.