Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: ALEX RILIE MOREIRA RODRIGUES

FAMILY POVERTY AND ITS CONDITIONERS: ANALYSIS FOR THE BRAZILIAN REALITY AND NORTHERN REGION

Family Poverty. Conditioning Factors of Poverty. North Region. Brazil.

Brazil, as a nation, faces significant challenges related to poverty and inequality. In this context,
it is crucial to deepen our understanding of this phenomenon and its underlying causes. The
main objective of this study is to analyze the factors that condition family poverty in the country
and the North Region, using appropriate tools to measure it. To achieve this objective, we used
variables related to the individual characteristics of the head of household (such as gender, race,
age, and educational level) and the particularities of the household (including geographic
location and region). We are based on microdata from the 2022 Continuous National Household
Sample Survey (Continuous PNAD), provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and
Statistics (IBGE). Initially, we applied the Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) index to measure
poverty. This index considers both the severity of poverty and income inequality. Next, we used
a Probit econometric model, establishing two poverty lines: one corresponding to 50% of the
nominal minimum wage in 2022 (R$ 605.50) and the other based on the average nominal per
capita household income in 2022 (R$ 1,981.15). The results reveal heterogeneous poverty
throughout the national territory, with a higher incidence in the states of the North and Northeast
regions. Regarding the gender perspective, the intensity of poverty is similar between men and
women. However, when households are headed by women, blacks and browns, and when
households are in the North and Northeast regions or in rural areas, the probability of poverty
is higher. Thus, individual and locational characteristics play a relevant role in determining
family poverty. The State, therefore, plays a crucial role in confronting this phenomenon,
through policies that prioritize populations with these specific characteristics, including gender
and racial inequalities, as well as inadequate infrastructural conditions in the regions most
affected by poverty. The desired outcome of such measures is increased well-being for all
citizens.