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Cash transfers in Latin America: Effects on poverty and redistribution

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  • Verónica Amarante
  • Martin Brun

Abstract

In this paper, we present comparative evidence for eight Latin American countries regarding design and effects of cash transfers (CTs). On the basis of household survey data, we analyse their coverage, importance in household income, and effects on poverty reduction and income redistribution.We also present a static microsimulation to analyse the potential impacts of alternative programme designs including perfect targeting and higher budgets. Our results illustrate the wide variation of these interventions in terms of their design, coverage, and importance in household income.

Suggested Citation

  • Verónica Amarante & Martin Brun, 2016. "Cash transfers in Latin America: Effects on poverty and redistribution," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-136, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
  • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2016-136
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Leight, Jessica & Hirvonen, Kalle & Zafar, Sarim, 2024. "The effectiveness of cash and cash plus interventions on livelihoods outcomes: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis," IFPRI discussion papers 2262, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Villatoro S., Pablo & Cecchini, Simone & Mancero, Xavier, 2021. "The impact of non-contributory cash transfers on poverty in Latin America," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    4. Perova,Elizaveta & Johnson,Erik Caldwell & Mannava,Aneesh & Reynolds,Sarah Anne & Teman,Alana Hinda, 2021. "Public Work Programs and Gender-Based Violence : Evidence from Lao PDR," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9691, The World Bank.
    5. Maria Alessandra Antonelli & Valeria De Bonis, 2021. "Economic Poverty: Does the Break-Up of Families Matter?," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-20, June.
    6. Andrés Dean & Fernanda Diab & Juan Olano & Agustín Reyes & Guillermo Sánchez-Laguardia & Juan Ignacio Urruty, 2023. "Empleo Garantizado por el Estado y Renta Básica Universal: estrategias para enfrentar el problema estructural del empleo precario," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 23-22, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    7. Ivone Perazzo & Analía Rivero & Andrea Vigorito, 2021. "¿Qué sabemos sobre los programas de transferencias no contributivas en Uruguay? Una síntesis de resultados de investigación disponibles sobre el PANES, AFAM-PE y TUS," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 21-33, Instituto de Economía - IECON.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cash transfers; Child poverty; Inequality; Latin America;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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