title: Are Conditional Cash Transfers Effective in Urban Areas? Evidence from Mexico.
abstract: Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs have spread worldwide as a new form of social assistance for the poor. Previous evaluations of CCT programs focus mainly on rural settings, and little is known about their effects in urban areas. This paper studies the short-term (one- and two-year) effects of the MexicanOportunidadesCCT program on urban children/youth. The program provides financial incentives for children/youth to attend school and for family members to visit health clinics. To participate, families had to sign up for the program and be deemed eligible. Difference-in-difference propensity score matching estimates indicate that the program is successful in increasing school enrollment, schooling attainment and time devoted to homework for girls and boys and in decreasing working rates of boys.
authors.affiliation: Economics and Sociology and a PSC Research Associate at the University of Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Jere R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Behrman
authors.affiliation: Bates-White consulting firm.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gallardo-García
authors.affiliation: División de Economía, CIDE, Mexico City.
authors.forename: Susan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Economics, a PSC Research Associate at the University of Pennsylvania and an Associate of the NBER and IZA.
authors.forename: Petra E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: Inter-American Development Bank.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vélez-Grajales