The randomised evaluation revolution in development economics

Overcoming extreme poverty in developing countries has long been recognised as one of humanity's greatest challenges. Governments in both developed and developing countries, along with aid agencies such as the World Bank and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on programmes and policies to fight poverty. Examples of anti-poverty programmes and policies include giving money to poor families on the condition that they send their children to school and providing free bed nets, which help protect people against malaria-carrying mosquitoes.