Brazil has lifted 22 million people out of extreme poverty since 2011

Measure announced today by President Dilma Rousseff grants additional benefits to country’s poorest ensuring income per capita is above R$ 70 per month 

Brasilia (19 February 2013) – Today Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff announced a measure to lift 2.5 million Brazilians out of extreme poverty by increasing supplementary family incomes through the country’s Bolsa Família social program to above R$ 70 (US$ 36) per person per month, with increased payments starting in March 2013. By reaching out to these 2.5 million citizens, the federal government is on track to reach a milestone of 22 million Brazilians lifted out of extreme poverty in terms of income since the “Brazil without Extreme Poverty” plan launched in 2011. 

At a ceremony in Brasília, President Rousseff said, “Brazil turns a decisive page in our past history of social exclusion. On this page, it is written that over 2.5 million Brazilian men and women are leaving extreme poverty.”

Along with increased access to training and public services, the program raises income to R$ 70 (US$ 36) per month, which is the benchmark used by the “Brazil without Extreme Poverty” plan to define extreme poverty. The supplementary income for these 2.5 million Bolsa Família beneficiaries will represent an investment of R$ 773 million (US$ 395 million) in 2013. 

Brazil’s Minister of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger Tereza Campello said, "This is a milestone in our journey. We’ve anticipated deadlines and targets, ensuring that 2.5 million Brazilians overcome the poverty line. This decision and its effects are founded on huge efforts made by Brazil in the past 10 years to build the Bolsa Família program." 

Brazil continues to actively identify and help those in need of assistance

The Brazilian federal government plans to identify all remaining unregistered citizens living in extreme poverty in the country and include them in the Unified National Registry for Social Programs  in order for these citizens to benefit from cash transfer programs and other social assistance initiatives. Strengthening the active search strategy with the support of Brazilian states and municipalities is a critical step in locating the estimated 700,000 Brazilians who have yet to be registered. Since the inception of the “Brazil without Extreme Poverty” plan in June 2011, 791,000 families fitting this profile have been located, registered and enrolled in the Bolsa Família program. 

Through the Unified National Registry for Social Programs, the Brazilian government keeps a record of Brazil’s poorest citizens including where they live, type of household, age, educational level, and average income. With this information, the government can identify families for income transfer programs and enroll family members to benefit from vocational courses, technical assistance and rural extension services, access to water and reduced electricity tariffs, among others. In addition, the Social Electricity Tariff, My House My Life,, and Green Grant programs are examples of federal programs that use the information of the Unified National Registry to identify beneficiaries.