From Bolsa Família to Brasil Sem Miséria: a Summary of Brazil’s Recent Journey towards Overcoming Extreme Poverty

Author: Luis Henrique Paiva ,Tiago Falcão ,Letícia Bartholo

Thematic Area: Social Protection ,Poverty Reduction Policies

Abstract:The Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) has brought about two important developments for the Brazilian social protection system: 1) it has merged similar programmes, which operated separately, thus eliminating gaps, overlaps and inefficiencies; and 2) it gave that system a new dimension by expanding transfers to households mostly headed by adults of working age, ultimately reaching out to groups that had enjoyed residual coverage of the system — especially children. Before the PBF, the social protection system in Brazil was mostly based on contributory and non-contributory benefits granted preferentially to individuals who had lost their productive capacity. (…)

Keywords:From Bolsa Família to Brasil Sem Miséria: a Summary of Brazil’s Recent Journey towards Overcoming Extreme Poverty