Poverty reduction: The missing piece of pension reform in Latin America

Employment-based pension plans constitute the main form of pension provision in Latin America. Although recent pension reform in the region has focused on strengthening these, old-age poverty remains high in most countries in the region, with older people over-represented among the poor. The article argues that ensuring old-age support for poor and vulnerable groups involves a different set of priorities and options for pension reform, namely a strong focus on tax-financed public cash transfer programmes. Cash transfer programmes focused on poor older people are the missing piece of pension reform in the region. The article examines the experience of the handful of countries with such programmes in place, and draws the lessons for the future of social policy in the region. © 2006 The Author(s) Journal Compilation © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.