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Document Abstract
Published: 2007

Developing a social assistance strategy for the SADC region based on the success of Brazil’s Bolsa Familia programme

How is Brazil’s Bolsa-Familia programme relevant for the Southern African Development Community 
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Given the recent interest in South Africa for developing a basic income grant, it is useful to study successful examples of social grant implementation to ascertain the challenges and opportunities associated with such a system. This paper presents an in-depth review of the Bolsa Familia programme (BFP) in Brazil, presuming that Brazil is a best-case study for examining the implementation of a social grant system in yhe Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

The document reveals that Brazil succeeded in reaching 11.2 million families with a conditional cash transfer programme within approximately three years of implementation of the BFP. In this sense, awareness of the conditionalities enhanced and their monitoring improved. However, a number of challenges have arisen during BFP implementation, and, accordingly, a number of solutions were employed: 

  • the Ministry of Social Development entered into a formal agreement with each municipality, establishing the minimum standards for the operation of the BFP at the municipal level
  • performance-based financial incentives have been provided for quality implementation based on “Index of Decentralised Implementation” scores
  • performance-based contract for a state-owned bank (Caixa) with enforceable sanctions for inadequate quality standards were in place
  • audits under the “Oversight and Controls Network” have been covering the activities of both Caixa and municipalities
  • vertical integration of sub-national programmes with the BFP via the joint cooperation agreements has been considered
  • the annual “BFP Innovations Awards” to promote a sharing of municipal experiences were offered

The authors highlight that the BFP has increased significantly primary school enrolment and attendance, and has achieved positive results in terms of health aspects. Nevertheless, the most important impact of the programme has been its effect on the overall poverty rates in the country.

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