How family and child cash transfers can empower women: Comparative lessons from Brazil and South Africa

By leveraging a comparison of Brazil’s Bolsa Família and South Africa’s Child Support Grant, this article probes whether and how income transfer programs enhance the standing of women recipients. Empowerment is assessed according to economic decision making, bodily protection and integrity, and psycho-social wellbeing and growth. The comparative analysis determines that regular income assistance boosts the self-esteem and agency of women recipients in both countries. At the same time, it underscores the heightened benefits obtained in Brazil as a result of the cash transfer program being embedded in a stronger public health and social service network. That Bolsa recipients interact with these associated institutions generates multiple downstream benefits. The broader lesson is that income transfer programs need to operate in deliberate coordination with an array of ancillary social service institutions to deliver the maximum benefits for women’s empowerment.

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The Role of Income on the Relationship Between the Brazilian Cash Transfer Program (Programa Bolsa Família) and Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence From a Multigroup Path Analysis

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260520951313 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088626052095131

Author(s):

Tatiana Henriques Leite ◽

Claudia Leite de Moraes ◽

Michael Eduardo Reichenheim ◽

Suely Deslandes ◽

Rosana Salles-costa

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Path Analysis ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Psychological Violence ◽

Income Transfer ◽

Transfer Programs ◽

Bolsa Familia

Several initiatives are being proposed to reduce the incidence of intimate partner violence (IPV) worldwide. Actions aimed at women’s economic empowerment through income transfer programs are one of those. Still, the literature on their impact is scarce and controversial. This study attempts to shed some light on this matter assessing whether the Brazilian Conditional Cash Transfer Program ( Programa Bolsa Família [PBF]) is a protective factor for psychological and physical IPV against women in families of different levels of income. This is a cross-sectional, household-based study conducted in the city of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sample comprised 807 women reporting some intimate relationship in the 12 months before the interview. Information on IPV and participation on PBF were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) and a direct question, respectively. A multigroup path analysis was applied to study the relations between PBF and psychological and physical IPV, considering confounding factors, some mediators, and moderation by income. The prevalence of both psychological and physical IPV are high, be it in the poverty and the extreme poverty income strata (psychological IPV: 66.2% and 72.7%, respectively; physical IPV: 26.2% and 40.6%, respectively). Results also showed a positive and direct association between PBF and psychological violence, yet only among families above the poverty line (β = .287, p = .001). The same could be found regarding physical violence, but the effect of PBF was indirect, mediated by psychological violence (β = .220, p = .003). Findings suggest that actions aimed at preventing IPV should go hand in hand with the PBF and, perhaps, other income transfer programs. This is even more relevant in relation to the less extreme poverty group where cash transfer may further raise conflicts and violence.

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Does The Unconditional Cash Transfer Program in South Africa Provide Support for Women After Child Birth? Barriers To Accessing The Child Support Grant Among Women in Informal Work in Durban, South Africa

10.21203/rs.3.rs-871452/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Silondile Luthuli ◽

Lyn Haskins ◽

Sphindile Mapumulo ◽

Christiane Horwood

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Low Income ◽

Child Support ◽

Working Women ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Application Process ◽

Informal Workers ◽

Child Support Grant ◽

Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Background The child support grant (CSG) is the largest unconditional cash transfer program in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty and improve child health and nutrition in low-income families in South Africa. Among informal working women, the CSG is an important source of income after childbirth when informal workers are unable to work, but reports suggest that women experience delays in accessing the CSG. We explore experiences and challenges accessing the CSG among informal workers in Durban, South Africa Methods We undertook a longitudinal mixed-methods cohort study. Women informal workers were recruited during pregnancy and followed-up for up to one year after the baby was born. Quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data about women’s plans for applying for the CSG, the application process, use of the CSG in the household, and household food insecurity. Interviews were conducted in IsiZulu by experienced researchers. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data used SPSS v26, and framework analysis using NVIVO v12.3 was used for qualitative analysis. Results Twenty-four informal working women were enrolled. The CSG received for older children was reported as an important and reliable source of income for mothers after childbirth. However, delays receiving the CSG for the new baby meant this support was unavailable to first-time mothers. The complex application process for the CSG required mothers to go to various government departments to complete the required documentation, often taking the baby with them. This was costly and time-consuming for mothers who were already vulnerable, and led to delays in obtaining CSG funds. Many women experienced moderate or severe food insecurity before and after the baby was born. As a result, some mothers had to return to work earlier than planned, disrupting childcare and breastfeeding. Conclusion Cash transfer programmes can effectively support low income households and improve outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa there is a need for innovative approaches to streamline CSG applications, so women can access the funds immediately post-delivery to fill a resource gap and provide support at a vulnerable time for mothers and their children.

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Does the unconditional cash transfer program in South Africa provide support for women after child birth? Barriers to accessing the child support grant among women in informal work in Durban, South Africa

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-022-12503-7 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Silondile Luthuli ◽

Lyn Haskins ◽

Sphindile Mapumulo ◽

Christiane Horwood

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Low Income ◽

Child Support ◽

Working Women ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Application Process ◽

Informal Workers ◽

Child Support Grant ◽

Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Background The child support grant (CSG) is the largest unconditional cash transfer program in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty and improve child health and nutrition in low-income families in South Africa. Among informal working women, the CSG is an important source of income after childbirth when informal workers are unable to work, but reports suggest that women experience delays in accessing the CSG. We explore experiences and challenges of accessing the CSG among informal workers in Durban, South Africa. Methods We undertook a longitudinal mixed-methods cohort study. Women informal workers were recruited during pregnancy and followed-up for up to one year after the baby was born. Quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data about women’s plans for applying for the CSG, the application process, use of the CSG in the household, and household food insecurity. Interviews were conducted in IsiZulu by experienced researchers. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data used SPSS v26, and framework analysis using NVIVO v12.3 was used for qualitative analysis. Results Twenty-four informal working women were enrolled. The CSG received for older children was reported as an important and reliable source of income for mothers after childbirth. However, delays receiving the CSG for the new baby meant this support was unavailable to first-time mothers. The complex application process for the CSG required mothers to travel to various government departments to complete the required documentation, often taking the baby with them. This was costly and time-consuming for mothers who were already vulnerable, and led to delays in obtaining CSG funds. Many women experienced moderate or severe food insecurity before and after the baby was born. As a result, some mothers had to return to work earlier than planned, disrupting childcare and breastfeeding. Conclusions Cash transfer programmes can effectively support low income households and improve outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa there is a need for innovative approaches to streamline CSG applications, so women can access the funds immediately post-delivery to fill a resource gap and provide support at a vulnerable time for mothers and their children.

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Income transfer policies and the impacts on the immunization of children: the Bolsa Família Program

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2012000700013 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 28 (7) ◽

pp. 1347-1358 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mônica Viegas Andrade ◽

Flávia Chein ◽

Laetícia Rodrigues de Souza ◽

Jaume Puig-Junoy

Keyword(s):

Conditional Cash Transfer ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Immunization Schedule ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Income Transfer ◽

Its Regions ◽

Matching Technique ◽

Bolsa Familia ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer Program ◽

The Impact

This paper investigates the impact of the Bolsa Família Program on the immunization of children from 0 to 6 years of age in Brazil and its regions. The Bolsa Família program is a conditional cash transfer program. One of its conditionalities is the compliance of children with the immunization schedule ordered by the Ministry of Health. The evaluation was performed using the Propensity Score Matching technique. We used data from a survey conducted in 2005 evaluating the program - Pesquisa de Avaliação de Impacto do Programa Bolsa Família. The main findings suggest that the Bolsa Família Program does not affect the immunization status of children.

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Anti-Poverty Transfers and Poverty Reduction

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190499983.013.26 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Armando Barrientos

Keyword(s):

Poverty Reduction ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer ◽

Conditional Cash Transfers ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Political Crisis ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Policy Initiatives ◽

Poverty And Inequality ◽

Bolsa Familia ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer Program

This chapter examines the role that public policy initiatives—specifically anti-poverty transfers—have played in the reduction of poverty and inequality in Brazil. A number of anti-poverty initiatives are considered in turn, and not just the widely known Bolsa Familia conditional cash transfer program. The analysis establishes that such transfers—including conditional cash transfers—have proved surprisingly effective, even helping to tackle long-standing income inequality. It is recognized that explicit anti-poverty initiatives were not the only drivers of the reduced incidence of poverty and inequality: factors such as growth and improved access to labor markets also played a role. However, progress is now threatened by the recent economic and political crisis.

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O novo desenvolvimentismo e os programas de transferência de renda na América Latina: análise do Programa Bolsa Família (The new developmentalism and income transfer programs in Latin America: an analysis of the Bolsa Família Program)

Emancipacao ◽

10.5212//emancipacao.v.17i1.0003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 34-44

Author(s):

Rubia dos S. RONZONI ◽

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Income Transfer ◽

Transfer Programs ◽

Bolsa Familia ◽

America Latina

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Maximizing the impact of the Canada Child Benefit: Implications for clinicians and researchers

Paediatrics & Child Health ◽

10.1093/pch/pxaa092 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Maximilian Pentland ◽

Eyal Cohen ◽

Astrid Guttmann ◽

Claire de Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Child Poverty ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Application Process ◽

Persistent Problem ◽

Transfer Programs ◽

Previous Child ◽

The Cost ◽

The Impact ◽

Child Benefit

Abstract Child poverty remains a persistent problem in Canada and is well known to lead to poor health outcomes. The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a cash transfer program in effect since 2016, which increased both the benefit amount and number of families eligible for the previous child benefit. While the CCB has decreased child poverty rates, not all eligible families have participated. Clinicians can play an important role in screening for uptake of the program and helping families navigate the application process through several free resources. While prior research on past programs has shown benefit of similar cash transfer programs to both child and parental outcomes (both health and social), the CCB has not yet been extensively studied. Research would be valuable in both assessing the cost effectiveness of the program, especially across different income groups, and improving implementation in hard-to-reach populations.

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Do Conditional Cash Transfers Empower Women? Insights from Brazil’s Bolsa Família

Latin American Politics and Society ◽

10.1017/lap.2019.60 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 53-74

Author(s):

Natasha Borges Sugiyama ◽

Wendy Hunter

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer ◽

Cash Transfers ◽

Conditional Cash Transfers ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

Transfer Programs ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer Programs ◽

Bolsa Familia ◽

The Relationship

ABSTRACTConditional cash transfer programs (CCTs) have emerged as an important social welfare innovation across the Global South in the last two decades. That poor mothers are typically the primary recipients of the grants renders easy, but not necessarily correct, the notion that CCTs empower women. This article assesses the relationship between the world’s largest CCT, Brazil’s Bolsa Família, and women’s empowerment. To systematize and interpret existing research, including our own, it puts forth a three-part framework that examines the program’s effects on economic independence, physical health, and psychosocial well-being. Findings suggest that women experience some improved status along all three dimensions, but that improvements are far from universal. A core conclusion is that the broader institutional context in which the Bolsa Família is embedded—that is, ancillary services in health and social assistance—is crucial for conditioning the degree of empowerment obtained.

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Database on the coverage of the “Bolsa-Família” conditioning cash-transfer program: Brazil, 2005 to 2021

BMC Research Notes ◽

10.1186/s13104-021-05849-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lais Baroni ◽

Ronaldo Fernandes Santos Alves ◽

Cristiano Siqueira Boccolini ◽

Rebecca Salles ◽

Raquel Gritz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Services ◽

Low Income ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Transfer Program ◽

Nutrition And Health ◽

Data Description ◽

Bolsa Familia ◽

Conditional Cash Transfer Program

Abstract Objectives The “Bolsa-Família” Program (PBF) is a Brazilian conditional cash-transfer program in which families should comply with health, education, and social assistance conditionalities. The program aims to fight poverty and hunger, promoting nutrition and health services for low-income populations. This paper presents a database on the coverage of monitoring and compliance with the PBF health conditionalities in Brazil from January 2005 to July 2021. Data description Database on the PBF conditioning cash-transfer program coverage in Brazil from 2005 to 2021. It comprises information on the number of families benefited, health conditionalities, and the follow-up on vaccination and nutrition of children under seven years old. The cities and semesters are the minimal aggregation units.

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