Emergencial aid and poverty at the Espírito Santo state/Brazil

Abstract

This paper will analyze the Emergency Aid implementation at the Espírito Santo state/Brazil, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to verify the coverage achieved of this benefit among residents in poverty and extreme poverty in the microrregions of the Espírito Santo state. Using municipal micro-data of poverty and extreme poverty and Emergencial Aid, it was estimated, through Welch’s statistical t test for samples averages, if the average of Emergencial Aid and poverty and extremely poverty has been equal. The results suggest a focus of the emergency aid on extremely poor population – 70% of the state's microrregions were covered by the aid in that sense, with the Northeast, Metropolitan and Caparaó microrregions being partially discovered. We conclude indicating the government should expand the granting of Emergencial aid beyond families in extreme poverty, and take further action, including supplementing direct and indirect income transfers for groups and territories with a higher incidence of poverty and extreme poverty.