Public opinion on cash transfers in Latin America
PUBLIC POLICY NOTE
PUBLIC POLICY NOTE
Authors:
Merike Blofield,
Juliana Martínez Franzoni y
Camila Arza
Synopsis:
Child poverty is a multidimensional challenge and decades of evidence show that cash transfers can provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. A nationally representative survey conducted in Argentina between July and August 2022 indicates very high support (85%) for targeted cash transfers to children and adolescents. In addition, 94% support setting the value of the transfers to at least at the basic food basket. Finally, opinion is divided on eligibility criteria: slightly more than half (53%) support cash transfers targeting at least all children and adolescents living in poverty, while 45% prefer to restrict them to those living in extreme poverty.
Authors:
Merike Blofiled
Juliana Martínez Franzoni
Synopsis:
Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon and decades of evidence show that cash transfer programs can provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. A nationally representative survey conducted in Chile during May and June 2022 indicates broad public support (90%) for a cash transfer program for children and adolescents. In addition, 97% support setting the value of the transfers to at least the basic food basket, a value 8.5 times higher than the amount in 2022. Opinion is divided on the eligibility criteria: half of the respondents support extending the transfers to most or all children, while the other half support focusing on those living in poverty.
Merike Blofield,
Juliana Martínez Franzoni y
Silvia Otero Bahamon
Synopsis:
Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon and decades of evidence demonstrate that periodic cash transfer programs can provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. A nationally representative telephone survey conducted in Colombia between June and July 2022 indicates broad support among the population (92.5%) for the existence of a cash transfer program for children and adolescents. In addition, 96% support fixing the value of the transfers to at least the basic food basket. Finally, public opinion is more divided on the eligibility criteria. Slightly more than half (54%) support restricting transfers to those in extreme poverty, while 45% support broader criteria, at least for all children and adolescents in poverty.
Authors:
Merike Blofield,
Juliana Martínez Franzoni y
Luis Ángel Oviedo
Synopsis:
Child poverty is a multidimensional challenge and decades of evidence show that cash transfers provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. A nationally representative survey of the adult population conducted between April and May 2022 in Costa Rica indicates overwhelming public support (90%) for a cash transfer program targeting children and adolescents. In addition, 94% believe that these cash transfers should have at least the same value as the basic food basket, ie. the extreme poverty line. This would imply a value three times the current transfer for primary school students and 1.5 times the average for secondary school students. Regarding coverage, public opinion is divided between those who would restrict transfers to the population in extreme poverty and those who would support broader eligibility.
Merike Blofield,
Juliana Martínez Franzoni y
Luis Ángel Oviedo
Synopsis:
Child poverty is a multidimensional challenge and decades of evidence demostrate that cash transfer programs can provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. A nationally representative telephone survey conducted in Guatemala in May 2022 indicates very high support (88%) for a cash transfer program targeting children and adolescents. In addition, 90% are in favor of setting the value of the transfers to at least the basic food basket. Finally, a slight majority (almost 52%) supports extending the transfers to at least all children in poverty, while 46% support restricting the program to those in extreme poverty. Either way, given that the current program reaches only about 13 percent of children and adolescents in extreme poverty, there is broad support for a massive expansion in coverage.
Authors:
Merike Blofield,
Juliana Martínez Franzoni y
Fabián A. Borges
Synopsis:
Child poverty is a multidimensional challenge and decades of evidence show that access to regular cash transfers can provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. In this context, it is surprising how little is known about how public opinion perceives these programs, both in Mexico and in Latin America more broadly. As part of a comparative study of public opinion in seven Latin American countries, a nationally representative telephone survey in Mexico conducted in May 2022 indicates that cash transfer programs aimed at children and adolescents have very high support (90%). In addition, 96% support setting the value of the transfers to at least the cost of the basic food basket. Finally, a majority (56%) would extend transfers to include at least all children and adolescents in poverty, while 43% support restricting the program to those in extreme poverty.
Merike Blofield,
Juliana Martínez Franzoni y
Johanna Pieper
Synopsis:
Child poverty is a multidimensional challenge and decades of evidence show that access to cash transfers programs can provide simple and effective protection against poverty, especially extreme poverty. A representative telephone survey conducted in Peru during May and June 2022 indicates broad public support (90%) for a cash transfer program for children and adolescents. In addition, 97% support setting the value of the transfers at least the basic food basket, a value eight times higher than the current transfers in the country. Finally, opinion is divided on the eligibility criteria: almost 60% of those surveyed support restricting the program to those in extreme poverty, while 40% are in favor of broader eligibility criteria, including at least all children and adolescents in poverty.