The Brazilian cash transfer program (Bolsa Família): A tool for reducing inequalities and achieving social rights in Brazil

ABSTRACT

Conditional cash transfer programs are strategies used by countries over the past two decades, and they play a key role in reducing income inequalities and expanding access to basic services such as health and education. The Brazilian Cash Transfer Program (Bolsa Família), the largest conditional cash transfer program in the world, aims to bring immediate poverty alleviation and eradicate hunger. The objective of this study was to analyse the contributions of the Brazilian Cash Transfer Program for reducing social inequalities and ensuring the right to health, food, education and social assistance in Brazil. A review of the scientific literature published between 2003 and 2020 was conducted, associated with documentary research on government websites. There was a relationship between the Brazilian Cash Transfer Program, reduction of child mortality and increase in access to Primary Health Care services; increased access to food, including in natura; higher school attendance and reduced dropout. However, no improvement in the nutritional status of the families entitled to the program was observed, nor the interruption of the intergenerational cycle of poverty was ensured. The Brazilian Cash Transfer Program continues as a potent intersectoral policy for reducing inequities, which reinforces the need to strengthen and combine complementary policies to expand its effects.

KEYWORDS:

• Conditional cash transfers
• nutrition programs and policies
• social inequity
• public policy
• social programs

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contribution

Article from the doctoral thesis of José Anael Neves entitled ‘Intersectoriality in the Bolsa Família Program – Study in Morros de Santos’. Federal University of São Paulo: 2020.

José Anael Neves contributed to the bibliographic search, data analysis, writing and discussion of the manuscript; Francisco de Assis Guedes de Vasconcelos contributed to the design of this study, the bibliographic search, data analysis, writing, and discussion of the manuscript; Mick Lennon Machado contributed to the bibliographic search, data analysis, writing and discussion of the manuscript; Elisabetta Recine contributed to data analysis writing and discussion of the manuscript; Giselle Silva Garcia contributed to the bibliographic search, data analysis, writing and discussion of the manuscript; Maria Angélica Tavares de Medeiros contributed to data analysis, writing, discussion and critical review of the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). Process CNPq n° 303233/2019-2.