Evaluation of Mexican poverty reduction policies under the COVID-19 pandemic impacts.

From 2019 to 2020, the Mexican economy declined for two consecutive years, especially in the last one when it was hit by a decline of 8.4% before the COVID-19 pandemic impacts which was not only one of the worst in the OECD club, but also the deepest economic recession since 1932 in the national history. At the same time, both the number of people in poverty and poverty rate in 2020 have increased compared with those registered in 2018. Through the analysis, we can find that the current Mexican government has increased the intensity and scope of the implementation of social relief policies adhered to the principal of "for the good of all, first the poor (Por el bien de todos, Primero los pobres)." However, in the context of recession caused by the COVID-19, neither the general decrease in residents' income could be avoided, nor the number of people in poverty has been reduced. Besides, in accordance with the benefits obtained by the distinct household deciles based on the income and expenditure survey published by INEGI, it showed that the implementation of government relief measures has relatively reduced the support for the low-income people and further aggravated the deterioration of poverty due to its indifferent application with respect to high-income households and the low-income ones. Therefore, the deficiencies in the response implemented in the face of the epidemic, especially poverty alleviation actions and social relief policies, have further enhanced the poverty problem at least partially. In this sense, recover and improve the economic growth rate as soon as possible will not enough to reduce the poverty, and it should be accompanied by the necessary adjustments in the poverty alleviation measures and social relief policies, especially with a focalized approach inclined to the low-income segments of the population.

Prácticas educativas familiares (PEF) de familias en condición de extrema pobreza en Cartagena de Indias / Family Educational Practices (PEF) of families in extreme poverty conditions in Cartagena de Indias

Resumen Las prácticas educativas familiares, en el estudio realizado en la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias con familias en condición de pobreza extrema, nos permitió identificar los estilos educativos empleados gracias a los encuentros significativos estructurados desde un enfoque hermenéutico-participativo, donde fue posible analizar las narrativas de los participantes, habitantes del barrio Ciudad del Bicentenario. Este ejercicio investigativo nos reveló las costumbres, actitudes y formas que tienen los padres para orientar la crianza de sus hijos. Así mismo nos permitió registrar algunas de las necesidades del grupo participante.

Abstract The Family Educational Practices, in the study conducted in the city of Cartagena de Indias with families in extreme poverty condition, allowed us to identify the educational styles used thanks to the meaningful encounters, which were structured from a hermeneutic and participatory approach, where it was possible to analyze participants' narratives, who were residents of the Ciudad del Bicentenario neighborhood. This investigative exercise revealed the customs, attitudes and ways that parents have for their children's upbringing. Likewise, it allowed us to record some of the participant group's needs.

Empowering the poor: A field study of the social psychological consequences of receiving autonomy or dependency aid in Panama.

This field study investigated the consequences of receiving poverty aid through conditional transfer programmes in the form of autonomy-oriented help (i.e., cash) or dependency-oriented help (i.e., vouchers) in impoverished rural communities in Panama. The empowering effects of autonomy- (vs. dependency-) help have so far only been studied in laboratory settings, or in settings where help could easily be refused. Little is known about the reactions of people who rely on help for extended periods of time. This study provides insights into how aid recipients are influenced by the type of aid they receive. Results showed that, as expected, recipients of cash reported more autonomy, empowerment, and life improvements than recipients of vouchers. Training, another type of autonomy-oriented help, was positively related to empowerment, personal, and family change beliefs. These findings illustrate the benefits of autonomy-oriented help programmes in empowering people from extremely poor communities around the world, who rely on aid for extended periods of time.

Intereses ambientales prioritarios de la población en situación de pobreza extrema: estudio de caso: barrio el ensueño, córdoba, quindío / Priority environmental interests of the population in situation of extreme poverty: case study: barrio el ensueño, cordoba, quindío

El presente artículo analiza los intereses ambientales prioritarios de la población en situación de pobreza extrema del barrio El Ensueño, del municipio de Córdoba, y de las instituciones públicas y privadas que atienden esta población a través de sus programas para comprender los aspectos menos evidentes, como lo son el surgimiento de conflictos ambientales. Dada la complejidad del estudio se utilizó un enfoque metodológico de análisis-síntesis para dar cuenta de una investigación analítica, utilizando métodos cualitativos. Los conflictos entre las familias en situación de pobreza extrema y las entidades públicas y privadas seleccionadas para el estudio de caso obedecen a la debilidad institucional, que se traduce en el mínimo impacto que tienen los programas sociales y el alto nivel de centralismo en el cual los beneficiarios de los programas son seleccionados desde el nivel nacional obedeciendo más a criterios políticos que técnicos. Este hecho genera conflictos, no solo entre las entidades y las familias directamente implicadas, sino también entre las mismas entidades del Estado. En ese orden de ideas, los intereses ambientales prioritarios pueden ser un instrumento desde las ciencias ambientales para aportar a la evaluación de las políticas públicas en Colombia ya que permiten unificar variables económicas, sociales y ambientales a través de la visión integral de una problemática ambiental. De igual forma, en el escenario de implementación de un posible acuerdo de paz con la guerrilla de las FARC, en el que se prevé la necesidad de diseñar e implementar políticas públicas en construcción de paz para conciliar los conflictos sociales y ambientales de los territorios más golpeados por el conflicto armado, abordar los intereses ambientales prioritarios permitiría la identificación y triangulación de información social y ambiental para la resolución de estos.

This article discusses the priority environmental interests of the population in extreme poverty of the neighborhood El Ensueño, municipality of Cordoba, and of the public and private institutions that serve this population through their programs to understand the aspects less evident, as are the emergence of environmental conflicts. Given the complexity of the study used a methodological approach to analysis-synthesis to give an account of an analytical research, using qualitative methods. Conflicts between families in extreme poverty and the public and private institutions selected for the case study are due to the institutional weakness, that translates into minimal impact that have the social programs and the high level of centralism in which the beneficiaries of the programs are selected from the national level in obedience to political criteria more than technical ones. This fact gives rise to conflict, not only between the entities and their families directly involved, but also between the same entities of the State. In that order of ideas, the priority environmental interests can be an instrument from the environmental sciences to contribute to the evaluation of public policies in Colombia, because they allow you to consolidate economic variables, social environmental and through the holistic view of environmental problems. Similarly, in the deployment scenario of a possible peace agreement with the guerrillas of the FARC, which provides for the need to design and implement public policies in peace-building to reconcile the social and environmental conflicts of the territories hit hardest by the armed conflict, address environmental concerns priority would enable the identification and triangulation of social and environmental information for the resolution of these.

The Zero Hunger and Brazil without Extreme Poverty programs: a step forward in Brazilian social protection policy / Fome Zero e Brasil sem Miséria: um passo adiante na política brasileira de proteção social

Brazilian social protection programs have had consistent effects in reducing poverty and inequality among their respective target-groups: children, adolescents and pregnant and breastfeeding women. In 2011, the Brazil without Extreme Poverty program was launched as a strategy to eradicate extreme poverty by 2014. It makes the promotion of rights the core concept of the official political narrative. This study seeks to provide a systematic description of the Brazil without Extreme Poverty program and its initial results. A review of official documents and academic studies on the social protection programs was conducted. The Brazil without Extreme Poverty program represents an incremental approach to the social protection policies enacted by the previous administration. It advocates a multidimensional and focused approach, funded primarily by the federal government. The strategy subscribes to the international trend of associating social protection with employment and income generation policies.

Os programas de proteção social no Brasil tiveram efeitos consistentes na redução da pobreza e desigualdade em seus grupos-alvo: crianças, adolescentes, grávidas e nutrizes. Em 2010, o Brasil sem Miséria foi lançado como uma estratégia para erradicar a pobreza extrema até 2014. A promoção de direitos é o cerne de sua narrativa política oficial. O objetivo deste artigo é prover uma descrição sistemática do Brasil sem Miséria, bem como de seus resultados iniciais. Foi realizada revisão de documentos oficiais e estudos acadêmicos sobre os programas de proteção social. O programa Brasil sem Miséria representa uma abordagem incremental em relação às políticas de proteção social implementadas pelo governo anterior. Defende uma abordagem multidimensional e focalizada, financiada principalmente pelo governo federal. A estratégia adota a tendência internacional de associar proteção social a políticas de geração de emprego e renda.

El valor adaptativo de las emociones positivas: Una mirada al funcionamiento psicológico de los niños pobres / The adaptive value of positive affect: a look at children’s psychological behaviour under extreme poverty

La pobreza expone a los niños a numerosos factores de riesgo que comprometen su calidad de vida y funcionamiento psicológico. La evidencia empírica indica mayor fragilidad emocional, menor desempeño intelectual y peor ejecución académica en niños que se desarrollan en situación de pobreza extrema. Sin embargo, el daño potencial ocasionado por todas las situaciones que se vinculan con la pobreza no es inevitable ni irreversible. Existen también factores protectores que amortiguan el impacto de las diferentes clases de deprivación a las que están expuestos estos niños. Las emociones positivas pueden contrarrestar e incluso prevenir los efectos nocivos que acarrean las vivencias derivadas de la pobreza. El propósito de este trabajo es examinar cuatro argumentos acerca de la importancia y utilidad que podría tener la promoción de emociones positivas. Las mismas pueden optimizar el funcionamiento de los niños pobres porque (a) favorecen una apreciación más saludable de las dificultades y (b) un afrontamiento más funcional de las mismas, (c) incrementan aspectos cognitivos involucrados en la prevención del fracaso académico y (d) fomentan actitudes más tolerantes y persistentes ante las frustraciones.(AU)

Poverty exposes children to a series of risk factors which threaten their quality of life and psychological functioning. Empirical evidence suggests that children who grow and develop in extreme poverty are more emotionally fragile, their intellectual performance is poorer, and have lower grades. However, potential damage due to extreme poverty is not inevitable nor irreversible. There are also protective factors which buffer the impact of different kinds of needs to which these children are exposed. Positive affect can counteract and even prevent harmful effects of living in extreme poverty. The purpose of our study is to examine four arguments on the importance and usefulness of promoting positive affect. These emotions optimize the way children function because (a) they encourage a healthier perspective on problems as well as (b) healthier coping skills, (c) they increase cognitive aspects which help prevent academic failure, and (d) they foster a more tolerant and persistent attitude when coping with frustration.(AU)