The Impact of Bolsa Família on Women’s Decision-Making Power
53 Pages Posted: 5 Feb 2012
Date Written: February 3, 2012
Abstract
Conditional cash transfer programs that transfer resources to women have considerable scope to increase women’s decision-making power. Yet evidence of this effect is limited. We provide the first direct quantitative evidence of a CCT’s impact on women’s decision making, showing heterogeneity based on household characteristics. We find that Brazil’s Bolsa Família program significantly increases women’s decision-making power regarding contraception. For women in urban areas and for women less educated than their spouses, we find additional significant increases in women’s decision-making power regarding children’s school attendance, health expenses, and clothing; women’s own labor supply and clothing; and household durable goods purchases.
Keywords: Brazil, Bolsa Familia, women, conditional cash transfers
JEL Classification: D10, H53, I38, O1, O54
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation