The Consolidation of Social Assistance Policy in Brazil
"Brazil's trajectory in the field of income transfers is quite well known internationally. Especially after the implementation of Bolsa Familia, Brazil's experiences in the field have been the object of constant references, studies and analyses. Such experiences were even used as a foundation for a wide array of South-South cooperation initiatives. Less known, however, is that conditional cash transfers are just a part of the non-contributory social-protection system that Brazil has been developing over the past 20 years." (?)
Social Development through Efficient Policies, Evaluating the Impact of Bolsa Familia
The Brazilian welfare state has developed over time in relation to national and global trends. This study analyses the creation of Latin Americas largest Conditional Cash Transfer program in relation to these trends. The thesis provides an historical overview of the creation of Conditional Cash Transfers in the country that lastly ended with Bolsa Familia. Alongside events that led to Bolsa Familia, the nation witnessed the development of social welfare initiatives as well as alternative poverty reducing programs. The study analyses this in the context of the creation of the Brazilian welfare. The question guiding the study is: Has the Bolsa Famila programme helped to reduce poverty in Brazil? It is argued that Brazil has been successful in reducing its poverty rate as a result of the programme. The study looks deeper into the structure of Bolsa Familia in order to view its results and effects both advantages and disadvantages of the programme are assessed. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Programas Focalizados de Transferncia de Renda no Brasil: Contribuies para o Debate
We describe several characteristics of the two most important targeted cash transfer programs in Brazil, the Continuous Cash Benefit - BPC and the Bolsa Familia, and discuss their institutional aspects, long term sustainability, beneficiaries and levels of targeting. We also address the need of conditionalities, the effects of the transfers on labor market participation, contributions for the pensions system and gender inequality, as well as the relevance of the so called `exit doors`. Our conclusion is that, on the one hand, the programs are accomplishing the goals they were designed to, have a relevant impact on poverty and inequality and achieve a good performance in international terms, under costs which are compatible with the Brazilian budgetary capacity; on the other hand, they apparently have no negative effects on incentives to work and to contribute to the pensions system. Therefore, we argue that these programs should be kept in place and, if possible, expanded in the near future.