Social Protection in Latin America : Achievements and Limitations

Social protection systems in Latin America have been transformed in the past two decades. Until the 1980s, those who were not covered by the social security arrangements available primarily in the urban formal sector received little public assistance beyond universal subsidies for some food or fuel purchases. Since the 1990s, the introduction of non-contributory social insurance programs (including "social pensions") and conditional cash transfers has substantially extended the coverage and improved the incidence of social assistance. However, the organic growth of subsidized social assistance in parallel to the older social insurance system, financed largely out of taxes on formal sector employment, has led to a dual system that is neither properly equitable nor efficient. The twin challenges that now face social protection in Latin America are to better integrate those two halves of the system, and to develop programs that promote sustainable self-reliance, by moving from "safety nets" to "opportunity ropes."

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Ferreira, Francisco H.G., Robalino, David
Format:	Policy Research Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	2010-05-01
Subjects:	ABSOLUTE POVERTY, ACCESS TO SERVICES, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, AGED, BANK POLICY, BENEFICIARIES, BENEFICIARY, CASH TRANSFER, CASH TRANSFERS, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, CHILD ALLOWANCES, CHILD LABOR, CLINICS, COLLECTIVE ACTION, COMMODITY SUBSIDIES, COMPENSATION, CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES, CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING, CONTINGENT LIABILITIES, CONTRIBUTORY PROGRAMS, CONTRIBUTORY SYSTEMS, COUNTERFACTUAL, COVERAGE, DEBT, DEBT CRISIS, DECENTRALIZATION, DECISIONMAKING, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPMENT BANK, DISABILITY PENSION, DISABILITY PENSIONS, DURABLE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC SHOCKS, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE SCHEME, EXCHANGE RATES, EXPENDITURE, EXTREME POVERTY, FARMERS, FEEDING PROGRAMS, FINANCIAL CRISIS, FOOD FOR EDUCATION, FOOD POLICY, FOOD PROGRAMS, FOOD STAMPS, FOOD SUBSIDIES, GLOBAL POVERTY, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH INSURANCE, HEALTH OUTCOMES, HEALTH SERVICES, HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HYGIENE, IMPLICIT TAXES, INCOME, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, INCOME GAINS, INCOME INEQUALITY, INCOME REDISTRIBUTION, INCOME STREAM, INCOME STREAMS, INCOME SUPPORT, INCOME TRANSFERS, INCOME VOLATILITY, INEQUALITY, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, INSURANCE, INSURANCE BENEFITS, INSURANCE MARKET, INSURANCE MARKETS, INTERNATIONAL BANK, INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INTERVENTION, INVESTING, INVESTMENT DECISIONS, INVESTMENT FUND, INVESTMENT FUNDS, INVESTMENT PROJECTS, LABOR MARKET, LABOR MARKET PROGRAMS, LABOR MARKETS, LAWS, LEVY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE, MACROECONOMIC CRISES, MARKET DISTORTION, MARKET FAILURES, MORAL HAZARD, MORBIDITY, MORTALITY, NATIONAL POVERTY, NEGATIVE SHOCK, NEGATIVE SHOCKS, NUTRITION, NUTRITION OUTCOMES, OLD­AGE, PENSION, PENSION SYSTEMS, PENSIONS, POLICY AGAINST POVERTY, POLITICAL ECONOMY, POOR, POOR AREAS, POOR CHILDREN, POOR COMMUNITIES, POOR FAMILIES, POOR HOUSEHOLDS, POOR PEOPLE, POOR RURAL AREAS, PORTFOLIO, POSTNATAL CARE, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, POVERTY DYNAMICS, POVERTY FOCUS, POVERTY GAP, POVERTY LEVELS, POVERTY LINE, POVERTY RATES, POVERTY REDUCTION, POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGIES, PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PSYCHOLOGY, PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC UNEMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, PURCHASING POWER, RETURN, RETURNS, RURAL, RURAL AREAS, RURAL ROAD, RURAL WORKERS, SAFETY NET, SAFETY NETS, SAVINGS, SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, SCHOOL FEEDING, SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMS, SIBLINGS, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, SOCIAL CAPITAL, SOCIAL FUNDS, SOCIAL INSURANCE PROGRAMS, SOCIAL INSURANCE SYSTEM, SOCIAL INSURANCE SYSTEMS, SOCIAL POLICY, SOCIAL SECURITY, SOCIAL SPENDING, SOCIAL STUDIES, SOCIAL SUPPORT, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, SUSTAINABILITY, TARGETING, TAX, TAX SYSTEM, TAXATION, TRANSFER PROGRAMS, TRANSFERS IN KIND, UNEMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, UNIVERSAL SUBSIDIES, VACCINATION, VICTIMS, WAR,
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20100510134942 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3792
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