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Higher Inequality in Latin America: A Collateral Effect of the Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Acevedo, Ivonne
  • Castellani, Francesca
  • Cota, María José
  • Lotti, Giulia
  • Székely, Miguel

Abstract

Este estudio explora la evolución de la desigualdad en América Latina durante la pandemia de la COVID-19 utilizando datos primarios disponibles de encuestas de hogares y empleo recopilados en 2020. La desigualdad aumentó en promedio un 2% entre 2019 y 2020, el doble del crecimiento anual promedio en el indicador de desigualdad que marcó la década de una desigualdad creciente en los años noventa. Obtuvimos resultados heterogéneos al desagregar por género, área urbana-rural y sector de la actividad económica. Sorprendentemente, encontramos que las diferencias en el ingreso por nivel de educación disminuyeron en la mayoría de los casos. Las remesas tuvieron un efecto modesto, mientras que las transferencias públicas jugaron un rol central para impedir mayores disparidades en la mitad de los países estudiados. Nuestras estimaciones muestran que la disminución de los niveles de empleo debido a la contracción económica provocada por la COVID-19- se asocia con aumentos de la desigualdad del ingreso que, según nuestras proyecciones, disminuirá progresivamente con la recuperación. Sin embargo, la escolaridad perdida y las pérdidas en el nivel educativo debido a la pandemia puede generar presiones sobre la desigualdad en el futuro, una vez que los jóvenes en edad escolar entren en el mercado laboral.

Suggested Citation

  • Acevedo, Ivonne & Castellani, Francesca & Cota, María José & Lotti, Giulia & Székely, Miguel, 2022. "Higher Inequality in Latin America: A Collateral Effect of the Pandemic," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 11937, Inter-American Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:brikps:11937
    DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0003967
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; Latin America; Income gaps; Transfers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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