| Project Detail |
Numerous well-identified studies demonstrate that conditional cash transfers improve health and schooling outcomes (Filmer and Schady, 2011; Schultz, 2004). Are these positive impacts due to cash, conditions, or the combination? The few studies that focus on the role of conditions in cash transfers, such as Baird et al. (2011), typically study the effect of conditions among new beneficiaries of cash transfers. In contrast, we propose to study the role of conditions among beneficiaries of a long-running conditional cash transfer program. This distinction is important: over time, program beneficiaries build habits, and internalize the importance of the co-responsibilities. As monitoring compliance with the co-responsibilities is expensive, reassessing their empirical relevance is crucial. Familias en Acción and other similar large-scale CCT programs in LAC were first implemented over two decades ago. Conditional cash transfers play an important role in alleviating poverty in the region. By 2011, 18 countries in the region had conditional cash transfer programs that covered 135 million beneficiaries (Stampini and Tornarolli, 2012). Citizens have extensive experience with these cash transfer programs and their co-responsibilities. It is in this context that we plan to contribute novel evidence that may differ from the evidence in the literature on the role of conditions in newly implemented programs. This TC will provide knowledge to address a strategic knowledge gap around the role of conditions in conditional cash transfers. While conditional cash transfers have been instrumental in alleviating poverty in the region, removing conditions that are no longer necessary could save the government monitoring costs. Further, the requirement to meet co-responsibilities may screen out some of the families most in need. Re-evaluating the impact of conditions will provide novel strategic knowledge to the Bank and its clients. |
