The IDB organized a panel called “Cash transfers to promote female employment - The case of Chile’s program Bono al Trabajo de la Mujer (BTM)”. The event took place on October 17th and two different studies were presented at the conference.
Jorge Rodríguez presented his paper named “Earned Income Subsidies, Female Labor Supply, and The Role of Informational Frictions”. This project, which is join work with Antonia Aguilera (DIPRES) and Tomás Rau (PUC), specifically evaluates whether eligibility for this policy increases the likelihood of women being employed. “We found that being eligible does not increase the probability of employment. Later, we examined the importance of two mechanisms that may explain this lack of impact: misinformation about the policy and the amounts associated with the bonus.”
The academic emphasized the importance of understanding these barriers to maximize the effectiveness of programs like the BTM in closing gender employment gaps.
“I think it was a good forum to discuss the role these policies play in closing the employment gaps between men and women. We talked about potential improvements and elements to consider in order to maximize the effectiveness of this program,” Professor Rodríguez added.
The event, hosted virtually by the IDB, reflects the organization’s ongoing efforts to foster social and economic development across Latin America. By connecting researchers and policymakers, the panel emphasized the importance of evidence-based policy design in promoting inclusive growth and gender equality.
