Programa Bolsa Família: estratégia para a autonomia e emancipação?

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to analyze the effects of conditional cash transfers (specifically the case of Bolsa Familia Program), to the social condition of the former beneficiaries, in the pursuit of autonomy and emancipation. The research piece is pursued essentially in a qualitative manner, having analyzed the cash transfer cancellation motives as well as through interviewing the former beneficiaries whom are not receiving the benefit of Bolsa Familia Program (PBF) anymore in São Paulo in this way illustrating how the effect of the programme influences (or not) the degree of autonomy or emancipation of the family. There are numerous variables being analyzed, such as: the period of time the families have been receiving the cash transfer, reasons for quitting the program, main changes understood by the families to what concerns access to goods and services that meet their basic demands. These basic needs include education, healthcare, justice, transportation, water, electricity, and nourishment. Furthermore, the study focuses on additional factors such as relevant variations in the autonomy and emancipation of the families before and after the programme. Within this category, were considered as main analysis factors the access to services and complementary programmes, access to knowledge and information, access to the labour market noting variations in the form and the quality of labour, and in the ability to generate income. Additionally, still within this category of analysis were considered factors such as social participation, the capacity to affect change and to relate family personal achievements to wider conquers within the public sphere. In the theoretical and conceptual framework of the study, there are a variety of concepts associated to Social Protection its historical perspective, and the evolution of the social policies associated to social rights and citizenship, following a line of research that enables the comprehension of the current Brazilian social policies and the main debates it raises. The Social Assistance Policy is the main point of analyzes within the Social Protection issue. In the Brazilian Social Assistance Policy, it is further examined the consolidation of the Bolsa Família Program from its origin, to its management, as well as key impacts pointed out by several studies and the major controversies surrounding the Program. Through the empirical research, data, provided by the Secretary for Social Assistance and Development (Secretaria Municipal de Assistência e Desenvolvimento Social), through its Benefits Management Directorate (Coordenadoria de Gestão de Benefícios), as well as through interviews with family members that have previously benefited from the PBF, has been analyzed. The analysis and interpretation of the compiled data allowed for a thorough understanding, which enables the provision of answers to various questions raised throughout the study, and also to examine previous assumptions. As illustrated by the results and data collected through the interviews, the importance of the Bolsa Familia Program to the families is shown as a supplementary income source, as supporting food consumption as well as a survival resource. Although, under no circumstances, were these associated to structural changes in living standards before and after receiving this benefit, nor was it possible to identify an increase in autonomy or in the emancipation of these families as a result of the PBF