A growing economic literature on the media has shown that by providing information on policy implementation and outcomes it serves an important role for the accountability of policymakers. In the context of developing countries, two further aspects deserve particular attention. First, in addition to providing information, the media may also change the "preferences" of viewers, e.g. by exposing them to now lifestyles and role models.
The allocation of resources within the household has important implications for the well-being of its members and for gender inequality within the household. Important determinants of this allocation include the relative bargaining power of the members (e.g., head and spouse) as well as differential access to labour and capital markets. Recent policies and interventions have been put in place in many developing countries that have the potential to change intra-household allocation and possibly reduce gender bias.
A large recent literature in development economics has pointed to the success of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs in increasing enrolment rates among children from poor families and contributing to poverty reduction. Despite being possibly the largest in terms of budget and population covered, the Brazilian program “Bolsa Familia” has received relatively less attention in the evaluation literature compared to CCTs in Mexico, Colombia and other countries.
