IMF Working Papers

Strengthening Income Stabilization through Social Protection in Emerging and Developing Economies: The Brazilian Experience

By Fernanda Brollo, Gabriel Lara Ibarra, Ricardo Campante Vale

March 8, 2024

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Fernanda Brollo, Gabriel Lara Ibarra, and Ricardo Campante Vale. Strengthening Income Stabilization through Social Protection in Emerging and Developing Economies: The Brazilian Experience, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2024) accessed November 8, 2024

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Summary

Social protection programs are crucial for stabilizing household income, especially during crises. Brazil's response to the pandemic, the Auxilio Emergencial (AE) program, demonstrated the value of a resilient social safety net and digital tools. This study assesses AE's effectiveness in income stabilization, poverty reduction, and inequality. Results show that the pre-pandemic social protection system would have only buffered about a quarter of income loss, with unemployment insurance more significant for higher-income households, and social safety net transfers crucial for lower-income households, especially those in informal employment. AE successfully supported lower-income households during the pandemic, but its generosity went beyond the stabilization of income, resulting in large fiscal costs.

Subject: COVID-19, Expenditure, Health, Income, Labor, Labor markets, National accounts, Social assistance spending, Social protection spending

Keywords: AE's effectiveness, Auxilio Emergencial, Auxílio Emergencial beneficiary, Brazil, COVID-19, Global, Household income, Income, Income stabilization, Income Stabilizer, Labor markets, Poverty Reduction, Social assistance spending, Social Protection, Social protection spending, Social Safety Net

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    27

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

    ---

  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2024/052

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2024052

  • ISBN:

    9798400266980

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941