The Social Safety Nets Team of the Social Protection Hub in the Human Development Network is pleased to sponsor a presentation by:

Ricardo Paes de Barros
Former Director of Social Policy and Research at the National Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) in Brazil

Abstract

Over the past five years, the Panamanian government has implemented a sizeable conditional cash transfer program. In this study the authors investigate the effectiveness of this program in alleviating extreme poverty. The authors found that, largely due to a very well-designed targeting mechanism, the program led to a 7% reduction in extreme poverty and an increase in the income of the poorest 10% of almost 20%. Even though the amount of transfers promoted by the program represents just 0.2% of total family income, it would be necessary a balanced economic growth greater than 6% to produce the same reduction in extreme poverty that was accomplished by the program.

About the Presenter

Ricardo Paes de Barros is a former Director of Social Policy and Research at the National Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) in Brazil. He has been a researcher at IPEA for over 20 years, and is the author of numerous books and scientific publications on labor and human development economics.