The Bolsa Familia Program: social protection and reduction of poverty in Brazil

The emergence of the theme of poverty in the academic debate and the dissemination of income transfer programs in Latin America were largely influenced by a focal understanding of social protection, which rested on the paradigm of human development. Nevertheless, such programs were implemented in different ways, since they were influenced by different institutional paths and political scenarios. In Brazil, the Bolsa Familia Program was implemented in a highly institutionalized social area, with the existence of both income transfer policies and public services of health and education. This paper analyzes the implementation process of the Bolsa Familia Program and its progressive universalization since its insertion in the Brazilian social protection system, addressing the challenges associated with the Program.