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![Brazilian flagship social welfare programs like Brasil Sem Miséria and Bolsa Família, have brought millions out of poverty [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/132722616_3881n.jpg)
Brazilian flagship social welfare programs like Brasil Sem Miséria and Bolsa Família, have brought millions out of poverty [Xinhua]
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) figures show Brazil’s Gini index, which measures inequality in a country, fell from 0.6 in the 1990s to 0.56 now.
The Gini coefficient is based on the comparison of cumulative proportions of the population against cumulative proportions of income they receive, and it ranges between 0 in the case of perfect equality and 1 in the case of perfect inequality.
Despite the advance, Brazil has a long way to reach 0.32, the average Gini index of the OECD member countries.
Among BRICS countries, Brazil has the second highest Gini index after South Africa.
According to the report, Brazil and other emerging economies did make efforts to tackle inequality by reinforcing social protection measures and carrying out wealth distribution programs.
The report notes that the improvement in quality of life among the Brazilian poor is a direct result of wage increases and social programs and the expansion of access to education.
Brazilian flagship social welfare programs like Brasil Sem Miséria and Bolsa Família, have brought millions out of poverty.
OECD also recommended other measures to promote equality, such as more investment in education and in gender equality and more redistribution of resources.
OECD, the Paris-based club of rich countries, tracks its 34 advanced economy members, in addition to issuing forecasts and surveys of large non-member countries like the BRICS.
Source: Agencies
