Bolsa Família and gender asymmetries: reinforcement or mitigation?

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate whether the Bolsa Família program contributes to the process of individualization of poor women. Propensity score matching techniques have been used to select comparable individuals, women and men, who are beneficiaries of the program and those who are not. Based on the 2006 Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílio (PNAD) data, the following estimations were estimated: hours of housework, participation in the labor market, and hours of paid work for men and women. Results were inconclusive for participation in the labor market; no evidence has been found that the Bolsa Família Program reduces hours of work of either men or women. Our results indicate that housework hours increase for women and diminish for men. The survey results suggest that the program reinforces gender stereotypes, not contributing to the individualization of poor women.

Key words
Bolsa Família; Gender; Housework; Paid work; Propensity Score Matching