On April 7, IPA Associate Director of Business and Program Development Faith McCollister participated in a panel discussion on youth unemployment at the 2018 African Economic Forum, held at Columbia University.The panel focused on the complex causes of youth unemployment in Africa and potential solutions to alleviate the problems it presents. During the discussion, McCollister noted the lack of an evidence-backed "silver bullet" for solving unemployment and emphasized the need for ongoing rigorous research.

On April 5, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), along with IPA and other research partners, shared preliminary findings from research on adolescent girls programming in humanitarian settings. This research was conducted in partnership with IPA, the World Bank, and the Population Council.Speakers shared lessons learned from implementing these programs and remaining research gaps in adolescent girls programming. In humanitarian settings, adolescent girls are uniquely positioned as both particularly vulnerable and extremely vital to the future of a successful and healthy community, making the need for effective, evidence-based programming an essential common goal.The panel consisted of the following researchers: Dr.Meridith Gould (Independent consultant), Marie-France Guimond (IRC), Dr.

Innovations for Poverty Action's research and policy work was highlighted in a pair of panel sessions at the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Annual Conference in Mexico City this month.In the first panel, IPA participants shared their experiences working with Ministries of Education in Peru, Ghana, and Zambia to equip policymakers and educators to create, understand, and apply rigorous evidence to their education practice.