Social fund and infant mortality: Evidence from an anti-poverty policy in Northeast Brazil

This paper evaluates the effects of a social fund that meets the needs of the poor in Northeast Brazil, the Fundos Estaduais de Combate e Erradicacao da Pobreza (FECEP). The program could have improved infant health by reducing poverty and improving access to health care, sanitation, food, and housing. Using a difference-in-differences approach robust to heterogeneous treatment effects, we confirm that the program has effectively reduced poverty in treated areas. Furthermore, we document that this poverty reduction is associated with a significant decline in infant mortality. These findings provide consistent evidence that targeted public investments can improve living conditions in vulnerable regions.