GENDER

Project

Women's Mobility Program

Women's Mobility Program

Large-scale evaluation study of the barriers to women’s labour force participation, and how they impact jobseekers and employers in the labour market.

Project

Punjab Economic Opportunities Program (PEOP)

Punjab Economic Opportunities Program (PEOP)

To help alleviate poverty and vulnerability by augmenting the skills-base of low income, poor and vulnerable families through vocational training.

Project

Social Norms Project

Social Norms Project

Investigating the extent to which educational entertainment (edutainment) that is aimed at changing social norms about child marriage and girl education changes attitudes, beliefs, norms, and behaviour with respect to child marriage and girl education in men, women, and adolescent children.

Project

Gender Norms and Transport Project / Transport Financing

Gender Norms and Transport Project / Transport Financing

The project seeks to provide women with motorbike training and financing as a means to improve mobility and consequently women’s labour force participation.

Project

Day Labour Project

Day Labour Project

The project studies the existing market structures that affect day labourers in Pakistan, focusing on easing search frictions and matching costs.

Project

Institutional Reform and Women’s De Facto Rights in Pakistan

Institutional Reform and Women’s De Facto Rights in Pakistan

The project aims to conduct rigorous impact evaluation for two major initiatives designed to address challenges faced on basic legal functions and ensure women’s de facto rights in two key areas: their legal share of inheritance and key rights in marriage.

Women's Mobility Program

Principal Investigators:

Erica Field

Erica Field

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Research Fellow
Erica Field is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Since receiving her PhD, she has worked at Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard, where she was a Professor for six years before joining Duke. Dr. Erica’s major fields of interest are development economics, labor economics, economic demography, and health. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IZA/DFID Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries, among others. She has published work in various journals, including the American Economics Journal and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Dr. Erica’s research specifically focuses on the areas of marriage and family, property rights, global health, and finance and entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects that explore adolescent empowerment and education in Bangladesh, the effects of micro-finance on women and households in South Asia and India, and the impacts of access to family planning resources on fertility and health in Zambia. She received her PhD and M.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 2003 and her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Vassar College in 1996.

Erica Field

Research Fellow
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Erica Field is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Since receiving her PhD, she has worked at Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard, where she was a Professor for six years before joining Duke. Dr. Erica’s major fields of interest are development economics, labor economics, economic demography, and health. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IZA/DFID Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries, among others. She has published work in various journals, including the American Economics Journal and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Dr. Erica’s research specifically focuses on the areas of marriage and family, property rights, global health, and finance and entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects that explore adolescent empowerment and education in Bangladesh, the effects of micro-finance on women and households in South Asia and India, and the impacts of access to family planning resources on fertility and health in Zambia. She received her PhD and M.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 2003 and her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Vassar College in 1996.

Erica Field

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Research Fellow
Erica Field is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Since receiving her PhD, she has worked at Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard, where she was a Professor for six years before joining Duke. Dr. Erica’s major fields of interest are development economics, labor economics, economic demography, and health. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IZA/DFID Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries, among others. She has published work in various journals, including the American Economics Journal and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Dr. Erica’s research specifically focuses on the areas of marriage and family, property rights, global health, and finance and entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects that explore adolescent empowerment and education in Bangladesh, the effects of micro-finance on women and households in South Asia and India, and the impacts of access to family planning resources on fertility and health in Zambia. She received her PhD and M.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 2003 and her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Vassar College in 1996.
Erica Field

Erica Field

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Research Fellow
Erica Field is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Since receiving her PhD, she has worked at Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard, where she was a Professor for six years before joining Duke. Dr. Erica’s major fields of interest are development economics, labor economics, economic demography, and health. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IZA/DFID Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries, among others. She has published work in various journals, including the American Economics Journal and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Dr. Erica’s research specifically focuses on the areas of marriage and family, property rights, global health, and finance and entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects that explore adolescent empowerment and education in Bangladesh, the effects of micro-finance on women and households in South Asia and India, and the impacts of access to family planning resources on fertility and health in Zambia. She received her PhD and M.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 2003 and her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Vassar College in 1996.

Erica Field

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Erica Field is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Since receiving her PhD, she has worked at Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard, where she was a Professor for six years before joining Duke. Dr. Erica’s major fields of interest are development economics, labor economics, economic demography, and health. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IZA/DFID Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries, among others. She has published work in various journals, including the American Economics Journal and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Dr. Erica’s research specifically focuses on the areas of marriage and family, property rights, global health, and finance and entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects that explore adolescent empowerment and education in Bangladesh, the effects of micro-finance on women and households in South Asia and India, and the impacts of access to family planning resources on fertility and health in Zambia. She received her PhD and M.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 2003 and her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Vassar College in 1996.

Erica Field

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Erica Field is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University. Since receiving her PhD, she has worked at Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard, where she was a Professor for six years before joining Duke. Dr. Erica’s major fields of interest are development economics, labor economics, economic demography, and health. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IZA/DFID Growth and Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries, among others. She has published work in various journals, including the American Economics Journal and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Dr. Erica’s research specifically focuses on the areas of marriage and family, property rights, global health, and finance and entrepreneurship. She is currently working on projects that explore adolescent empowerment and education in Bangladesh, the effects of micro-finance on women and households in South Asia and India, and the impacts of access to family planning resources on fertility and health in Zambia. She received her PhD and M.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 2003 and her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Vassar College in 1996.

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Kate Vyborny

Kate Vyborny

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Research Fellow
Kate Vyborny is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at Duke University, USA. Dr Kate is the associate director of the DevLab at Duke. Dr Kate’s research focuses on public service delivery, urban development and public transportation, and gender. She is a visiting faculty member at the Lahore School of Economics and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr Kate has previously worked on development assistance effectiveness at the Center for Global Development, and on trade and development at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She holds a D Phil (PhD) in economics from the University of Oxford, England, where she held the Rhodes Scholarship. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, USA.

Kate Vyborny

Research Fellow
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Kate Vyborny is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at Duke University, USA. Dr Kate is the associate director of the DevLab at Duke. Dr Kate’s research focuses on public service delivery, urban development and public transportation, and gender. She is a visiting faculty member at the Lahore School of Economics and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr Kate has previously worked on development assistance effectiveness at the Center for Global Development, and on trade and development at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She holds a D Phil (PhD) in economics from the University of Oxford, England, where she held the Rhodes Scholarship. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, USA.

Kate Vyborny

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Research Fellow
Kate Vyborny is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at Duke University, USA. Dr Kate is the associate director of the DevLab at Duke. Dr Kate’s research focuses on public service delivery, urban development and public transportation, and gender. She is a visiting faculty member at the Lahore School of Economics and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr Kate has previously worked on development assistance effectiveness at the Center for Global Development, and on trade and development at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She holds a D Phil (PhD) in economics from the University of Oxford, England, where she held the Rhodes Scholarship. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, USA.
Kate Vyborny

Kate Vyborny

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Research Fellow
Kate Vyborny is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at Duke University, USA. Dr Kate is the associate director of the DevLab at Duke. Dr Kate’s research focuses on public service delivery, urban development and public transportation, and gender. She is a visiting faculty member at the Lahore School of Economics and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr Kate has previously worked on development assistance effectiveness at the Center for Global Development, and on trade and development at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She holds a D Phil (PhD) in economics from the University of Oxford, England, where she held the Rhodes Scholarship. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, USA.

Kate Vyborny

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Kate Vyborny is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at Duke University, USA. Dr Kate is the associate director of the DevLab at Duke. Dr Kate’s research focuses on public service delivery, urban development and public transportation, and gender. She is a visiting faculty member at the Lahore School of Economics and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr Kate has previously worked on development assistance effectiveness at the Center for Global Development, and on trade and development at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She holds a D Phil (PhD) in economics from the University of Oxford, England, where she held the Rhodes Scholarship. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, USA.

Kate Vyborny

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Kate Vyborny is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Economics at Duke University, USA. Dr Kate is the associate director of the DevLab at Duke. Dr Kate’s research focuses on public service delivery, urban development and public transportation, and gender. She is a visiting faculty member at the Lahore School of Economics and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr Kate has previously worked on development assistance effectiveness at the Center for Global Development, and on trade and development at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She holds a D Phil (PhD) in economics from the University of Oxford, England, where she held the Rhodes Scholarship. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia, USA.

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Robert Garlick

Robert Garlick

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Principal Investigator
Robert Garlick is a Principal Investigator in the Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Robert joined the Economics department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Robert was born and raised in South Africa, where he studied Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and managed a small education nonprofit. Dr Robert studies Education and Labor Economics in developing countries. He is currently working on Peer and Network Effects in Education, Determinants of Education Investments by Households, and Transitions between Education and the Labor market. This work spans empirical and methodological topics and includes primary data collection in and analysis of secondary data from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Dr Robert holds a PhD in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Robert Garlick

Principal Investigator
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Robert Garlick is a Principal Investigator in the Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Robert joined the Economics department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Robert was born and raised in South Africa, where he studied Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and managed a small education nonprofit. Dr Robert studies Education and Labor Economics in developing countries. He is currently working on Peer and Network Effects in Education, Determinants of Education Investments by Households, and Transitions between Education and the Labor market. This work spans empirical and methodological topics and includes primary data collection in and analysis of secondary data from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Dr Robert holds a PhD in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Robert Garlick

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Principal Investigator
Robert Garlick is a Principal Investigator in the Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Robert joined the Economics department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Robert was born and raised in South Africa, where he studied Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and managed a small education nonprofit. Dr Robert studies Education and Labor Economics in developing countries. He is currently working on Peer and Network Effects in Education, Determinants of Education Investments by Households, and Transitions between Education and the Labor market. This work spans empirical and methodological topics and includes primary data collection in and analysis of secondary data from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Dr Robert holds a PhD in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.
Robert Garlick

Robert Garlick

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Principal Investigator
Robert Garlick is a Principal Investigator in the Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Robert joined the Economics department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Robert was born and raised in South Africa, where he studied Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and managed a small education nonprofit. Dr Robert studies Education and Labor Economics in developing countries. He is currently working on Peer and Network Effects in Education, Determinants of Education Investments by Households, and Transitions between Education and the Labor market. This work spans empirical and methodological topics and includes primary data collection in and analysis of secondary data from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Dr Robert holds a PhD in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Robert Garlick

Principal Investigator
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Robert Garlick is a Principal Investigator in the Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Robert joined the Economics department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Robert was born and raised in South Africa, where he studied Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and managed a small education nonprofit. Dr Robert studies Education and Labor Economics in developing countries. He is currently working on Peer and Network Effects in Education, Determinants of Education Investments by Households, and Transitions between Education and the Labor market. This work spans empirical and methodological topics and includes primary data collection in and analysis of secondary data from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Dr Robert holds a PhD in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Robert Garlick

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator
Robert Garlick is a Principal Investigator in the Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Robert joined the Economics department as an Assistant Professor in 2014. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Robert was born and raised in South Africa, where he studied Economics, Mathematics, and Philosophy at the University of Cape Town and managed a small education nonprofit. Dr Robert studies Education and Labor Economics in developing countries. He is currently working on Peer and Network Effects in Education, Determinants of Education Investments by Households, and Transitions between Education and the Labor market. This work spans empirical and methodological topics and includes primary data collection in and analysis of secondary data from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Dr Robert holds a PhD in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

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Nivedhitha Subramanian

Nivedhitha Subramanian

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Principal Investigator and Graduate Student Fellow
Nivedhitha Subramanian is a Principal Investigator in Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Nivedhitha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bates College. Her research interests are in Development and Labour Economics, with a focus on Gender. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (Economics Concentration) at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in 2020.

Nivedhitha Subramanian

Principal Investigator and Graduate Student Fellow
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Nivedhitha Subramanian is a Principal Investigator in Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Nivedhitha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bates College. Her research interests are in Development and Labour Economics, with a focus on Gender. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (Economics Concentration) at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in 2020.

Nivedhitha Subramanian

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Principal Investigator and Graduate Student Fellow
Nivedhitha Subramanian is a Principal Investigator in Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Nivedhitha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bates College. Her research interests are in Development and Labour Economics, with a focus on Gender. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (Economics Concentration) at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in 2020.
Nivedhitha Subramanian

Nivedhitha Subramanian

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Principal Investigator and Graduate Student Fellow
Nivedhitha Subramanian is a Principal Investigator in Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Nivedhitha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bates College. Her research interests are in Development and Labour Economics, with a focus on Gender. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (Economics Concentration) at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in 2020.

Nivedhitha Subramanian

Principal Investigator and Graduate Student Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Nivedhitha Subramanian is a Principal Investigator in Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Nivedhitha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bates College. Her research interests are in Development and Labour Economics, with a focus on Gender. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (Economics Concentration) at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in 2020.

Nivedhitha Subramanian

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator and Graduate Student Fellow
Nivedhitha Subramanian is a Principal Investigator in Women’s Mobility Program at CERP. Dr Nivedhitha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Bates College. Her research interests are in Development and Labour Economics, with a focus on Gender. She completed her PhD in Public Policy (Economics Concentration) at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in 2020.

According to International Labour Organisation, unemployed, underemployed, and economically inactive people are growing in low-income countries. In South Asian cities, women are considerably less likely to participate in the economy, even at high levels of education. Our data suggests that a large number of women may be inactive or “latent job seekers” who are at the margin of participation and lack information about relevant job opportunities. In this study we use our job matching platform, Job Talash to examine how various labour market interventions can improve the job search process for both employers and job seekers. Job Talash is an in-house, phone based job matching platform set up by researchers at CERP and Duke University. The platform connects job seekers to relevant job opportunities, in case their qualifications match with the requirements of the vacancies. The platform currently has over 10,000 jobseekers and 1,200 employers enrolled through a representative sample. The interventions on the platform include:

  • Safe pick and drop service.
  • Encouragement to apply through a phone call.
  • Auditing past experiences of job seekers.

We observe how these interventions impact job search outcomes such as application, interview and employment behaviour for both job seekers and employers. We particularly observe the impact on marginalized segments of the populations, such as women or inactive latent job seekers, who might lack access to relevant professional networks and internet services.

Date:

2014 – ongoing

Funding Partners:

DFID-IZA, NSF, J-PAL, IGC, ADB, DIV USAID, PEDL and IPA

Implementing Partner:

Punjab Social Welfare Department, Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (previously partnership), Punjab Social Welfare Department (previously a partner)

Publications

Research Papers:

Report:

Briefs

Media coverages

Videos

Web Portal: Job Asaan

Tags

Gender, Labour Markets, Informational Interventions, Phone-based Survey, CATI, CAPI

Punjab Economic Opportunities Program (PEOP)

Principal Investigators:

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

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Co-Founder and Board Member
Asim Ijaz Khwaja is a Co-Founder and Board Member at CERP. He is the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development, Professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), and the Director at the Center for International Development (CID) at HKS. Professor Asim is the former Co-Director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPOD) at Harvard Kennedy School. His areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, institutions, and contract theory/mechanism design. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis, and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy. He has been published in leading economics journals, such as the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has received coverage in numerous media outlets, such as The Economist, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. Professor Asim’s recent work ranges from understanding market failures in emerging financial markets to examining the private education market in low-income countries. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He also serves as the faculty co-chair of a week-long executive education programme, “Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice,” aimed primarily at professionals involved in the design and regulation of financial products and services for low-income populations. Professor Asim received a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and BS degrees in Economics and in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He was born in London, U.K., lived for eight years in Kano, Nigeria, the next eight in Lahore, Pakistan, and for the past several years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to enjoy interacting with people around the globe.

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Co-Founder and Board Member
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Asim Ijaz Khwaja is a Co-Founder and Board Member at CERP. He is the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development, Professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), and the Director at the Center for International Development (CID) at HKS. Professor Asim is the former Co-Director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPOD) at Harvard Kennedy School. His areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, institutions, and contract theory/mechanism design. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis, and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy. He has been published in leading economics journals, such as the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has received coverage in numerous media outlets, such as The Economist, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. Professor Asim’s recent work ranges from understanding market failures in emerging financial markets to examining the private education market in low-income countries. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He also serves as the faculty co-chair of a week-long executive education programme, “Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice,” aimed primarily at professionals involved in the design and regulation of financial products and services for low-income populations. Professor Asim received a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and BS degrees in Economics and in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He was born in London, U.K., lived for eight years in Kano, Nigeria, the next eight in Lahore, Pakistan, and for the past several years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to enjoy interacting with people around the globe.

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Co-Founder and Board Member
Asim Ijaz Khwaja is a Co-Founder and Board Member at CERP. He is the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development, Professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), and the Director at the Center for International Development (CID) at HKS. Professor Asim is the former Co-Director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPOD) at Harvard Kennedy School. His areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, institutions, and contract theory/mechanism design. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis, and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy. He has been published in leading economics journals, such as the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has received coverage in numerous media outlets, such as The Economist, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. Professor Asim’s recent work ranges from understanding market failures in emerging financial markets to examining the private education market in low-income countries. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He also serves as the faculty co-chair of a week-long executive education programme, “Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice,” aimed primarily at professionals involved in the design and regulation of financial products and services for low-income populations. Professor Asim received a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and BS degrees in Economics and in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He was born in London, U.K., lived for eight years in Kano, Nigeria, the next eight in Lahore, Pakistan, and for the past several years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to enjoy interacting with people around the globe.
Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Co-Founder and Board Member
Asim Ijaz Khwaja is a Co-Founder and Board Member at CERP. He is the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development, Professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), and the Director at the Center for International Development (CID) at HKS. Professor Asim is the former Co-Director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPOD) at Harvard Kennedy School. His areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, institutions, and contract theory/mechanism design. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis, and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy. He has been published in leading economics journals, such as the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has received coverage in numerous media outlets, such as The Economist, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. Professor Asim’s recent work ranges from understanding market failures in emerging financial markets to examining the private education market in low-income countries. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He also serves as the faculty co-chair of a week-long executive education programme, “Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice,” aimed primarily at professionals involved in the design and regulation of financial products and services for low-income populations. Professor Asim received a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and BS degrees in Economics and in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He was born in London, U.K., lived for eight years in Kano, Nigeria, the next eight in Lahore, Pakistan, and for the past several years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to enjoy interacting with people around the globe.

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Co-Founder and Board Member
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Asim Ijaz Khwaja is a Co-Founder and Board Member at CERP. He is the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development, Professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), and the Director at the Center for International Development (CID) at HKS. Professor Asim is the former Co-Director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPOD) at Harvard Kennedy School. His areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, institutions, and contract theory/mechanism design. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis, and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy. He has been published in leading economics journals, such as the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has received coverage in numerous media outlets, such as The Economist, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. Professor Asim’s recent work ranges from understanding market failures in emerging financial markets to examining the private education market in low-income countries. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He also serves as the faculty co-chair of a week-long executive education programme, “Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice,” aimed primarily at professionals involved in the design and regulation of financial products and services for low-income populations. Professor Asim received a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and BS degrees in Economics and in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He was born in London, U.K., lived for eight years in Kano, Nigeria, the next eight in Lahore, Pakistan, and for the past several years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to enjoy interacting with people around the globe.

Asim Ijaz Khwaja

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Co-Founder and Board Member
Asim Ijaz Khwaja is a Co-Founder and Board Member at CERP. He is the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development, Professor of International Finance and Development at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), and the Director at the Center for International Development (CID) at HKS. Professor Asim is the former Co-Director of Evidence for Policy Design (EPOD) at Harvard Kennedy School. His areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, institutions, and contract theory/mechanism design. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis, and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy. He has been published in leading economics journals, such as the American Economic Review and the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and has received coverage in numerous media outlets, such as The Economist, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, BBC and CNN. Professor Asim’s recent work ranges from understanding market failures in emerging financial markets to examining the private education market in low-income countries. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He also serves as the faculty co-chair of a week-long executive education programme, “Rethinking Financial Inclusion: Smart Design for Policy and Practice,” aimed primarily at professionals involved in the design and regulation of financial products and services for low-income populations. Professor Asim received a PhD in Economics from Harvard University and BS degrees in Economics and in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He was selected as a Carnegie Scholar in 2009 to pursue research on how religious institutions impact individual beliefs. He was born in London, U.K., lived for eight years in Kano, Nigeria, the next eight in Lahore, Pakistan, and for the past several years in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He continues to enjoy interacting with people around the globe.

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Ali Cheema

Ali Cheema

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Co-Founder and Board Member
Dr. Ali Cheema is a co-founder and board member at CERP. He serves as an associate professor of Economics and the faculty director of the Mahbub-ul-Haq Research Centre at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, he holds the position of senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). From 2004 to 2007, he also served as the head of the Economics Department at LUMS. Dr Ali possesses extensive experience in research and policy work, with a focus on political economy, governance, applied economics of crime and social protection, skills and the labor market. He was a member of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) at Columbia University and served on the Taskforce on Decentralisation. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the award-winning portal Relief Information System for Earthquakes, Pakistan (RISEPAK). Dr Ali’s recent work includes conducting large-scale impact evaluations of vocational training programs aimed at poverty reduction in Punjab, as well as studying the relationship between criminal incidence and labor market outcomes in Pakistan. Dr Ali holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development, a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Government College, Lahore. In 2010-11, he had the privilege of being a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School.

Ali Cheema

Co-Founder and Board Member
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Dr. Ali Cheema is a co-founder and board member at CERP. He serves as an associate professor of Economics and the faculty director of the Mahbub-ul-Haq Research Centre at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, he holds the position of senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). From 2004 to 2007, he also served as the head of the Economics Department at LUMS. Dr Ali possesses extensive experience in research and policy work, with a focus on political economy, governance, applied economics of crime and social protection, skills and the labor market. He was a member of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) at Columbia University and served on the Taskforce on Decentralisation. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the award-winning portal Relief Information System for Earthquakes, Pakistan (RISEPAK). Dr Ali’s recent work includes conducting large-scale impact evaluations of vocational training programs aimed at poverty reduction in Punjab, as well as studying the relationship between criminal incidence and labor market outcomes in Pakistan. Dr Ali holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development, a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Government College, Lahore. In 2010-11, he had the privilege of being a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School.

Ali Cheema

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Co-Founder and Board Member
Dr. Ali Cheema is a co-founder and board member at CERP. He serves as an associate professor of Economics and the faculty director of the Mahbub-ul-Haq Research Centre at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, he holds the position of senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). From 2004 to 2007, he also served as the head of the Economics Department at LUMS. Dr Ali possesses extensive experience in research and policy work, with a focus on political economy, governance, applied economics of crime and social protection, skills and the labor market. He was a member of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) at Columbia University and served on the Taskforce on Decentralisation. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the award-winning portal Relief Information System for Earthquakes, Pakistan (RISEPAK). Dr Ali’s recent work includes conducting large-scale impact evaluations of vocational training programs aimed at poverty reduction in Punjab, as well as studying the relationship between criminal incidence and labor market outcomes in Pakistan. Dr Ali holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development, a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Government College, Lahore. In 2010-11, he had the privilege of being a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School.
Ali Cheema

Ali Cheema

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Co-Founder and Board Member
Dr. Ali Cheema is a co-founder and board member at CERP. He serves as an associate professor of Economics and the faculty director of the Mahbub-ul-Haq Research Centre at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, he holds the position of senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). From 2004 to 2007, he also served as the head of the Economics Department at LUMS. Dr Ali possesses extensive experience in research and policy work, with a focus on political economy, governance, applied economics of crime and social protection, skills and the labor market. He was a member of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) at Columbia University and served on the Taskforce on Decentralisation. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the award-winning portal Relief Information System for Earthquakes, Pakistan (RISEPAK). Dr Ali’s recent work includes conducting large-scale impact evaluations of vocational training programs aimed at poverty reduction in Punjab, as well as studying the relationship between criminal incidence and labor market outcomes in Pakistan. Dr Ali holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development, a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Government College, Lahore. In 2010-11, he had the privilege of being a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School.

Ali Cheema

Co-Founder and Board Member
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Dr. Ali Cheema is a co-founder and board member at CERP. He serves as an associate professor of Economics and the faculty director of the Mahbub-ul-Haq Research Centre at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, he holds the position of senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). From 2004 to 2007, he also served as the head of the Economics Department at LUMS. Dr Ali possesses extensive experience in research and policy work, with a focus on political economy, governance, applied economics of crime and social protection, skills and the labor market. He was a member of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) at Columbia University and served on the Taskforce on Decentralisation. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the award-winning portal Relief Information System for Earthquakes, Pakistan (RISEPAK). Dr Ali’s recent work includes conducting large-scale impact evaluations of vocational training programs aimed at poverty reduction in Punjab, as well as studying the relationship between criminal incidence and labor market outcomes in Pakistan. Dr Ali holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development, a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Government College, Lahore. In 2010-11, he had the privilege of being a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School.

Ali Cheema

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Co-Founder and Board Member
Dr. Ali Cheema is a co-founder and board member at CERP. He serves as an associate professor of Economics and the faculty director of the Mahbub-ul-Haq Research Centre at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Additionally, he holds the position of senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). From 2004 to 2007, he also served as the head of the Economics Department at LUMS. Dr Ali possesses extensive experience in research and policy work, with a focus on political economy, governance, applied economics of crime and social protection, skills and the labor market. He was a member of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) at Columbia University and served on the Taskforce on Decentralisation. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the award-winning portal Relief Information System for Earthquakes, Pakistan (RISEPAK). Dr Ali’s recent work includes conducting large-scale impact evaluations of vocational training programs aimed at poverty reduction in Punjab, as well as studying the relationship between criminal incidence and labor market outcomes in Pakistan. Dr Ali holds a Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Economics and Politics of Development, a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) from Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and a BA in Mathematics and Statistics from Government College, Lahore. In 2010-11, he had the privilege of being a visiting Fulbright and SAI Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School.

,

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

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Research Fellow
Farooq Naseer is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, teaching econometrics to both undergraduate and master’s students. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He is a member of the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR). He has served as a member of the technical committee of experts advising Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the design and execution of the Population Census 2017. His research interests lie in the field of education, human development and political economy including microeconometric analysis of institutions and their role in the face of information problems. His dissertation work has looked at the community-based organizations in the Philippines as well as the pricing structure in the sugarcane markets in Pakistan. His work often requires the use of empirical methods with rich micro-data from household and community surveys to study issues ranging from poverty and vocational skills to political competition and learning outcomes in schools. He is actively engaged in several research collaborations with policy impact and continues to present his work at international as well as local academic and policy forums. Within the context of his work on education, his colleagues and he has worked with private schools as well as government education departments to evaluate interventions designed to improve student learning outcomes. Dr Farooq holds a PhD and MA, both from Yale University.

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Farooq Naseer is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, teaching econometrics to both undergraduate and master’s students. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He is a member of the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR). He has served as a member of the technical committee of experts advising Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the design and execution of the Population Census 2017. His research interests lie in the field of education, human development and political economy including microeconometric analysis of institutions and their role in the face of information problems. His dissertation work has looked at the community-based organizations in the Philippines as well as the pricing structure in the sugarcane markets in Pakistan. His work often requires the use of empirical methods with rich micro-data from household and community surveys to study issues ranging from poverty and vocational skills to political competition and learning outcomes in schools. He is actively engaged in several research collaborations with policy impact and continues to present his work at international as well as local academic and policy forums. Within the context of his work on education, his colleagues and he has worked with private schools as well as government education departments to evaluate interventions designed to improve student learning outcomes. Dr Farooq holds a PhD and MA, both from Yale University.

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Farooq Naseer is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, teaching econometrics to both undergraduate and master’s students. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He is a member of the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR). He has served as a member of the technical committee of experts advising Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the design and execution of the Population Census 2017. His research interests lie in the field of education, human development and political economy including microeconometric analysis of institutions and their role in the face of information problems. His dissertation work has looked at the community-based organizations in the Philippines as well as the pricing structure in the sugarcane markets in Pakistan. His work often requires the use of empirical methods with rich micro-data from household and community surveys to study issues ranging from poverty and vocational skills to political competition and learning outcomes in schools. He is actively engaged in several research collaborations with policy impact and continues to present his work at international as well as local academic and policy forums. Within the context of his work on education, his colleagues and he has worked with private schools as well as government education departments to evaluate interventions designed to improve student learning outcomes. Dr Farooq holds a PhD and MA, both from Yale University.
Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Farooq Naseer is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, teaching econometrics to both undergraduate and master’s students. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He is a member of the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR). He has served as a member of the technical committee of experts advising Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the design and execution of the Population Census 2017. His research interests lie in the field of education, human development and political economy including microeconometric analysis of institutions and their role in the face of information problems. His dissertation work has looked at the community-based organizations in the Philippines as well as the pricing structure in the sugarcane markets in Pakistan. His work often requires the use of empirical methods with rich micro-data from household and community surveys to study issues ranging from poverty and vocational skills to political competition and learning outcomes in schools. He is actively engaged in several research collaborations with policy impact and continues to present his work at international as well as local academic and policy forums. Within the context of his work on education, his colleagues and he has worked with private schools as well as government education departments to evaluate interventions designed to improve student learning outcomes. Dr Farooq holds a PhD and MA, both from Yale University.

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Farooq Naseer is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, teaching econometrics to both undergraduate and master’s students. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He is a member of the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR). He has served as a member of the technical committee of experts advising Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the design and execution of the Population Census 2017. His research interests lie in the field of education, human development and political economy including microeconometric analysis of institutions and their role in the face of information problems. His dissertation work has looked at the community-based organizations in the Philippines as well as the pricing structure in the sugarcane markets in Pakistan. His work often requires the use of empirical methods with rich micro-data from household and community surveys to study issues ranging from poverty and vocational skills to political competition and learning outcomes in schools. He is actively engaged in several research collaborations with policy impact and continues to present his work at international as well as local academic and policy forums. Within the context of his work on education, his colleagues and he has worked with private schools as well as government education departments to evaluate interventions designed to improve student learning outcomes. Dr Farooq holds a PhD and MA, both from Yale University.

Muhammad Farooq Naseer

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Farooq Naseer is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, teaching econometrics to both undergraduate and master’s students. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He is a member of the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR). He has served as a member of the technical committee of experts advising Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the design and execution of the Population Census 2017. His research interests lie in the field of education, human development and political economy including microeconometric analysis of institutions and their role in the face of information problems. His dissertation work has looked at the community-based organizations in the Philippines as well as the pricing structure in the sugarcane markets in Pakistan. His work often requires the use of empirical methods with rich micro-data from household and community surveys to study issues ranging from poverty and vocational skills to political competition and learning outcomes in schools. He is actively engaged in several research collaborations with policy impact and continues to present his work at international as well as local academic and policy forums. Within the context of his work on education, his colleagues and he has worked with private schools as well as government education departments to evaluate interventions designed to improve student learning outcomes. Dr Farooq holds a PhD and MA, both from Yale University.

,

Jacob Shapiro

Jacob Shapiro

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Research Fellow
Jacob N. Shapiro is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. His research covers conflict, economic development, and security policy. In 2016, Dr Jacob received Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40, or within 10 years of earning a PhD for his most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is the author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations and co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Dr Jacob is also a distinguished Scientist at Giant Oak, Inc. His research has been published in a broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. Dr Jacob has a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Economics from Stanford University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Jacob Shapiro

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Jacob N. Shapiro is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. His research covers conflict, economic development, and security policy. In 2016, Dr Jacob received Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40, or within 10 years of earning a PhD for his most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is the author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations and co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Dr Jacob is also a distinguished Scientist at Giant Oak, Inc. His research has been published in a broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. Dr Jacob has a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Economics from Stanford University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Jacob Shapiro

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Jacob N. Shapiro is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. His research covers conflict, economic development, and security policy. In 2016, Dr Jacob received Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40, or within 10 years of earning a PhD for his most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is the author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations and co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Dr Jacob is also a distinguished Scientist at Giant Oak, Inc. His research has been published in a broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. Dr Jacob has a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Economics from Stanford University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.
Jacob Shapiro

Jacob Shapiro

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Jacob N. Shapiro is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. His research covers conflict, economic development, and security policy. In 2016, Dr Jacob received Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40, or within 10 years of earning a PhD for his most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is the author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations and co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Dr Jacob is also a distinguished Scientist at Giant Oak, Inc. His research has been published in a broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. Dr Jacob has a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Economics from Stanford University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Jacob Shapiro

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Jacob N. Shapiro is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. His research covers conflict, economic development, and security policy. In 2016, Dr Jacob received Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40, or within 10 years of earning a PhD for his most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is the author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations and co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Dr Jacob is also a distinguished Scientist at Giant Oak, Inc. His research has been published in a broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. Dr Jacob has a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Economics from Stanford University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Jacob Shapiro

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Jacob N. Shapiro is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University and directs the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. His research covers conflict, economic development, and security policy. In 2016, Dr Jacob received Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, given to a scholar younger than 40, or within 10 years of earning a PhD for his most significant contribution to the study of international relations. He is the author of The Terrorist’s Dilemma: Managing Violent Covert Organizations and co-author of Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict. He is an Associate Editor of Journal of Conflict Resolution, World Politics, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, a Faculty Fellow of the Association for Analytic Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS), and an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). Dr Jacob is also a distinguished Scientist at Giant Oak, Inc. His research has been published in a broad range of academic and policy journals as well as a number of edited volumes. He has conducted field research and large-scale policy evaluations in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. Dr Jacob has a PhD in Political Science and an MA in Economics from Stanford University, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan.

Low-income countries are increasingly setting up welfare systems and providing economic opportunities for their citizens through cash transfer, employment generation, and skills enhancement programmes. Many of these policies are directed towards those who have been historically excluded from state programmes—the poor, rural inhabitants, and women. The success of such policies relies on these individuals being able to access the benefits provided to them. In practice, we often see “money left on the table” in that studies document how villagers do not obtain subsidised rice, widows fail to take advantage of monthly stipends, and women are unable to obtain vocational training, despite the large gains such programmes may have.

This project aims to help alleviate poverty and vulnerability by augmenting the skills-base of low income, poor and vulnerable families by improving their technical and vocational skills. The main goal is to increase the rate of income growth in poor and vulnerable households in high poverty districts of Southern Punjab – Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, and Muzaffargarh.

This project uses experimental variation to estimate the value of one such access constraint—travel that requires a woman to move outside her community. We study a skills development programme in rural Pakistan, which is representative of many underdeveloped regions throughout the world where female mobility—a widely recognised barrier to development —is a challenge for both logistical and cultural reasons.

Date:

2012 – ongoing

Funding & Implementing Partners:

Government of Punjab, Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF), DFID (FCDO), British Asian Trust, Kaarvan Crafts Foundation

Publications
Tags

Social Protection, Poverty, Employment, Economic Mobility, Female Empowerment, Rural Economy, Poverty Alleviation, Technical Skills, Vocational Skills, Welfare Systems, Travel, Female Mobility

Social Norms Project

Principal Investigators:

Paul Collier

Paul Collier

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Research Fellow
Paul Colliers is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is the Professor of Economics and Public Policy, at Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College at Oxford University. From 1998–2003 he took a five-year Public Service leave during which he was Director of the Research Development Department of the World Bank. He is currently a Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Director of the International Growth Centre. His research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanization in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organizational cultures.

Paul Collier

Research Fellow
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Paul Colliers is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is the Professor of Economics and Public Policy, at Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College at Oxford University. From 1998–2003 he took a five-year Public Service leave during which he was Director of the Research Development Department of the World Bank. He is currently a Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Director of the International Growth Centre. His research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanization in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organizational cultures.

Paul Collier

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Research Fellow
Paul Colliers is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is the Professor of Economics and Public Policy, at Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College at Oxford University. From 1998–2003 he took a five-year Public Service leave during which he was Director of the Research Development Department of the World Bank. He is currently a Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Director of the International Growth Centre. His research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanization in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organizational cultures.
Paul Collier

Paul Collier

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Research Fellow
Paul Colliers is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is the Professor of Economics and Public Policy, at Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College at Oxford University. From 1998–2003 he took a five-year Public Service leave during which he was Director of the Research Development Department of the World Bank. He is currently a Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Director of the International Growth Centre. His research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanization in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organizational cultures.

Paul Collier

Research Fellow
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Paul Colliers is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is the Professor of Economics and Public Policy, at Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College at Oxford University. From 1998–2003 he took a five-year Public Service leave during which he was Director of the Research Development Department of the World Bank. He is currently a Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Director of the International Growth Centre. His research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanization in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organizational cultures.

Paul Collier

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Paul Colliers is a Research Fellow at CERP. He is the Professor of Economics and Public Policy, at Blavatnik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College at Oxford University. From 1998–2003 he took a five-year Public Service leave during which he was Director of the Research Development Department of the World Bank. He is currently a Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Director of the International Growth Centre. His research covers the causes and consequences of civil war; the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low-income and natural resources rich societies; urbanization in low-income countries; private investment in African infrastructure and changing organizational cultures.

,

Karlijin Morsink

Karlijin Morsink

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Research Fellow
Karlijn Morsink is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Utrecht University School of Economics, a Senior Researcher at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford. She is also a visit scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Previously, she was the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics. In 2012, she received her D Phil in Development Economics, with honours, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Her research interests include experimental, behavioural and development economics, game theory and econometrics. She has co-authored a chapter in the ‘Practical Guide to Impact Assessments in Microinsurance’ (published by: Microinsurance Network and Micro Insurance Academy) with Dr Peter Guerts.

Karlijin Morsink

Research Fellow
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Karlijn Morsink is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Utrecht University School of Economics, a Senior Researcher at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford. She is also a visit scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Previously, she was the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics. In 2012, she received her D Phil in Development Economics, with honours, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Her research interests include experimental, behavioural and development economics, game theory and econometrics. She has co-authored a chapter in the ‘Practical Guide to Impact Assessments in Microinsurance’ (published by: Microinsurance Network and Micro Insurance Academy) with Dr Peter Guerts.

Karlijin Morsink

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Research Fellow
Karlijn Morsink is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Utrecht University School of Economics, a Senior Researcher at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford. She is also a visit scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Previously, she was the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics. In 2012, she received her D Phil in Development Economics, with honours, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Her research interests include experimental, behavioural and development economics, game theory and econometrics. She has co-authored a chapter in the ‘Practical Guide to Impact Assessments in Microinsurance’ (published by: Microinsurance Network and Micro Insurance Academy) with Dr Peter Guerts.
Karlijin Morsink

Karlijin Morsink

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Research Fellow
Karlijn Morsink is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Utrecht University School of Economics, a Senior Researcher at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford. She is also a visit scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Previously, she was the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics. In 2012, she received her D Phil in Development Economics, with honours, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Her research interests include experimental, behavioural and development economics, game theory and econometrics. She has co-authored a chapter in the ‘Practical Guide to Impact Assessments in Microinsurance’ (published by: Microinsurance Network and Micro Insurance Academy) with Dr Peter Guerts.

Karlijin Morsink

Research Fellow
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Karlijn Morsink is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Utrecht University School of Economics, a Senior Researcher at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford. She is also a visit scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Previously, she was the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics. In 2012, she received her D Phil in Development Economics, with honours, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Her research interests include experimental, behavioural and development economics, game theory and econometrics. She has co-authored a chapter in the ‘Practical Guide to Impact Assessments in Microinsurance’ (published by: Microinsurance Network and Micro Insurance Academy) with Dr Peter Guerts.

Karlijin Morsink

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Research Fellow
Karlijn Morsink is a Research Fellow at CERP. She is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Utrecht University School of Economics, a Senior Researcher at the Development Economics Group at Wageningen University, and a Research Fellow at the Centre for the Economic Analysis of Risk (CEAR) at Georgia State University. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for the Study of African Economies, Blavatnik School of Governance, University of Oxford. She is also a visit scholar at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Previously, she was the British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics. In 2012, she received her D Phil in Development Economics, with honours, from the University of Twente, The Netherlands. Her research interests include experimental, behavioural and development economics, game theory and econometrics. She has co-authored a chapter in the ‘Practical Guide to Impact Assessments in Microinsurance’ (published by: Microinsurance Network and Micro Insurance Academy) with Dr Peter Guerts.

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Rachel Cassidy

Rachel Cassidy

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Principal Investigator
Rachel Cassidy is a Principal Investigator on Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Rachel is a Non-Resident Fellow at CGD. She is an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, and is affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies. Dr Rachel’s current research focuses on efforts to promote women’s and girls’ Economic Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, and Broader Welfare. Dr Rachel holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she also completed her MSc and BA studies. She has also worked as an economist at the European Commission, providing Economic Analysis and Policy Input for the MENA region and the G20.

Rachel Cassidy

Principal Investigator
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Rachel Cassidy is a Principal Investigator on Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Rachel is a Non-Resident Fellow at CGD. She is an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, and is affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies. Dr Rachel’s current research focuses on efforts to promote women’s and girls’ Economic Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, and Broader Welfare. Dr Rachel holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she also completed her MSc and BA studies. She has also worked as an economist at the European Commission, providing Economic Analysis and Policy Input for the MENA region and the G20.

Rachel Cassidy

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator
Rachel Cassidy is a Principal Investigator on Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Rachel is a Non-Resident Fellow at CGD. She is an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, and is affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies. Dr Rachel’s current research focuses on efforts to promote women’s and girls’ Economic Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, and Broader Welfare. Dr Rachel holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she also completed her MSc and BA studies. She has also worked as an economist at the European Commission, providing Economic Analysis and Policy Input for the MENA region and the G20.
Rachel Cassidy

Rachel Cassidy

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator
Rachel Cassidy is a Principal Investigator on Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Rachel is a Non-Resident Fellow at CGD. She is an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, and is affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies. Dr Rachel’s current research focuses on efforts to promote women’s and girls’ Economic Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, and Broader Welfare. Dr Rachel holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she also completed her MSc and BA studies. She has also worked as an economist at the European Commission, providing Economic Analysis and Policy Input for the MENA region and the G20.

Rachel Cassidy

Principal Investigator
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Rachel Cassidy is a Principal Investigator on Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Rachel is a Non-Resident Fellow at CGD. She is an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, and is affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies. Dr Rachel’s current research focuses on efforts to promote women’s and girls’ Economic Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, and Broader Welfare. Dr Rachel holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she also completed her MSc and BA studies. She has also worked as an economist at the European Commission, providing Economic Analysis and Policy Input for the MENA region and the G20.

Rachel Cassidy

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator
Rachel Cassidy is a Principal Investigator on Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Rachel is a Non-Resident Fellow at CGD. She is an Economist at the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, and is affiliated with the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the University of Oxford’s Centre for the Study of African Economies. Dr Rachel’s current research focuses on efforts to promote women’s and girls’ Economic Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, and Broader Welfare. Dr Rachel holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford, where she also completed her MSc and BA studies. She has also worked as an economist at the European Commission, providing Economic Analysis and Policy Input for the MENA region and the G20.

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Wendy Janssens

Wendy Janssens

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Principal Investigator
Wendy Janssens is a Principal Investigator on the Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Wendy is a Professor in Development Economics. She is an Executive Board member of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), and a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute. Previously, she held visiting positions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, and the World Bank Development Economics Research group in Washington, DC. She has received numerous Research Grants, including a DFID-ESRC Grant to study Social Norms and Violence against women and girls in Pakistan, an NWO-Wotro grant to study Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Women’s empowerment in Mozambique, and an NWO-VENI grant to study the interaction between Health Insurance and Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, she is leading amongst others an Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Mobile Technology and Universal Health Coverage for Mothers and Children in Kenya. She has extensive experience in designing and coordinating Multi-Disciplinary Research Programmes to provide rigorous and locally grounded policy advice to national and international organisations as well as governments (such as Oxfam Novib, PharmAccess Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank). Dr Wendy holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit – Tinbergen Institute in 2007 and a Masters in Business Economics, from Maastricht University.

Wendy Janssens

Principal Investigator
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Wendy Janssens is a Principal Investigator on the Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Wendy is a Professor in Development Economics. She is an Executive Board member of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), and a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute. Previously, she held visiting positions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, and the World Bank Development Economics Research group in Washington, DC. She has received numerous Research Grants, including a DFID-ESRC Grant to study Social Norms and Violence against women and girls in Pakistan, an NWO-Wotro grant to study Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Women’s empowerment in Mozambique, and an NWO-VENI grant to study the interaction between Health Insurance and Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, she is leading amongst others an Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Mobile Technology and Universal Health Coverage for Mothers and Children in Kenya. She has extensive experience in designing and coordinating Multi-Disciplinary Research Programmes to provide rigorous and locally grounded policy advice to national and international organisations as well as governments (such as Oxfam Novib, PharmAccess Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank). Dr Wendy holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit – Tinbergen Institute in 2007 and a Masters in Business Economics, from Maastricht University.

Wendy Janssens

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Principal Investigator
Wendy Janssens is a Principal Investigator on the Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Wendy is a Professor in Development Economics. She is an Executive Board member of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), and a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute. Previously, she held visiting positions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, and the World Bank Development Economics Research group in Washington, DC. She has received numerous Research Grants, including a DFID-ESRC Grant to study Social Norms and Violence against women and girls in Pakistan, an NWO-Wotro grant to study Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Women’s empowerment in Mozambique, and an NWO-VENI grant to study the interaction between Health Insurance and Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, she is leading amongst others an Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Mobile Technology and Universal Health Coverage for Mothers and Children in Kenya. She has extensive experience in designing and coordinating Multi-Disciplinary Research Programmes to provide rigorous and locally grounded policy advice to national and international organisations as well as governments (such as Oxfam Novib, PharmAccess Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank). Dr Wendy holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit – Tinbergen Institute in 2007 and a Masters in Business Economics, from Maastricht University.
Wendy Janssens

Wendy Janssens

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator
Wendy Janssens is a Principal Investigator on the Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Wendy is a Professor in Development Economics. She is an Executive Board member of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), and a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute. Previously, she held visiting positions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, and the World Bank Development Economics Research group in Washington, DC. She has received numerous Research Grants, including a DFID-ESRC Grant to study Social Norms and Violence against women and girls in Pakistan, an NWO-Wotro grant to study Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Women’s empowerment in Mozambique, and an NWO-VENI grant to study the interaction between Health Insurance and Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, she is leading amongst others an Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Mobile Technology and Universal Health Coverage for Mothers and Children in Kenya. She has extensive experience in designing and coordinating Multi-Disciplinary Research Programmes to provide rigorous and locally grounded policy advice to national and international organisations as well as governments (such as Oxfam Novib, PharmAccess Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank). Dr Wendy holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit – Tinbergen Institute in 2007 and a Masters in Business Economics, from Maastricht University.

Wendy Janssens

Principal Investigator
Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Wendy Janssens is a Principal Investigator on the Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Wendy is a Professor in Development Economics. She is an Executive Board member of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), and a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute. Previously, she held visiting positions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, and the World Bank Development Economics Research group in Washington, DC. She has received numerous Research Grants, including a DFID-ESRC Grant to study Social Norms and Violence against women and girls in Pakistan, an NWO-Wotro grant to study Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Women’s empowerment in Mozambique, and an NWO-VENI grant to study the interaction between Health Insurance and Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, she is leading amongst others an Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Mobile Technology and Universal Health Coverage for Mothers and Children in Kenya. She has extensive experience in designing and coordinating Multi-Disciplinary Research Programmes to provide rigorous and locally grounded policy advice to national and international organisations as well as governments (such as Oxfam Novib, PharmAccess Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank). Dr Wendy holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit – Tinbergen Institute in 2007 and a Masters in Business Economics, from Maastricht University.

Wendy Janssens

Linkedin-in Icon-internet
Principal Investigator
Wendy Janssens is a Principal Investigator on the Social Norms Project at CERP. Dr Wendy is a Professor in Development Economics. She is an Executive Board member of the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), and a Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute. Previously, she held visiting positions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London, and the World Bank Development Economics Research group in Washington, DC. She has received numerous Research Grants, including a DFID-ESRC Grant to study Social Norms and Violence against women and girls in Pakistan, an NWO-Wotro grant to study Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Women’s empowerment in Mozambique, and an NWO-VENI grant to study the interaction between Health Insurance and Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, she is leading amongst others an Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Mobile Technology and Universal Health Coverage for Mothers and Children in Kenya. She has extensive experience in designing and coordinating Multi-Disciplinary Research Programmes to provide rigorous and locally grounded policy advice to national and international organisations as well as governments (such as Oxfam Novib, PharmAccess Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Bank). Dr Wendy holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit – Tinbergen Institute in 2007 and a Masters in Business Economics, from Maastricht University.

Pakistan is the third most dangerous place for women and girls, with 90% of women facing domestic violence (Thomson Reuters 2011). 50% of Pakistani women are married off at the average age of 19 years, with 13% married by the time they are 15 and 40% by age 18 (Population Council). A little is known about the mechanisms that lead to VAWG and child marriage, and less so about the most effective pathways to curb these mechanisms. In particular, there is little evidence on the effectiveness of interventions targeting men and boys, in addition to women and girls.

The prevention of early marriages and VAWG is crucial, not only because girls who marry as children are particularly at risk of premature childbearing and violence from their partners, but also because it negatively affects economic growth and perpetuates intergenerational transmission of poverty. An important mechanism driving this effect is the interaction between VAWG and low cooperation between spouses, resulting in poor health, education and economic outcomes for women and their children. This research therefore consisted of a cluster randomized control trial (RCT) of a social norms intervention implemented by Bedari in South Punjab and Indus Resource Center in Sindh that addresses women’s empowerment and VAWG.

The intervention consisted of regular group meetings, theater plays, and other community activities that address social norms targeting either men and boys, women and girls, or both, dependent on the experimental arm. The baseline survey was conducted among husbands, wives and their children of marriageable age. Data was also collected through personal interviews as well as behavioural games. An end-line survey will be conducted 6 months after the interventions, to allow us to measure impact and cost-effectiveness, as well as how impact and the route to changing social norms differs across provinces. The project is expected to answer following research questions:

  • What is the impact on early/forced marriage and education for girls of edutainment interventions that aim to change attitudes/beliefs/norms/social sanctions surrounding marriage and education for girls?
  • To what extent are norm changes among men/boys versus women/girls effective in terms of changing actual behaviour?
  • What are the mechanisms for this impact?
  • How do these mechanisms work through intra-household bargaining?
  • What is the effect of these same edutainment interventions on attitudes/beliefs/norms about and actual prevalence of domestic and sexual violence?

Through this thorough piece of research, we will be able to draw broader insights (beyond just edutainment interventions) about how policy makers can best change norms in communities, especially where women hold low bargaining power. Furthermore, through evidence-based identification of underlying mechanisms of impact, we will be able to draw insights for other regions within and outside of Pakistan.

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