Summary

One of the main findings of the report is that in Brazil and South Africa, non-contributory pension programmes reach alarge number of poor older people (5.3 million in Brazil and 1.9 million inSouth Africa) at relatively low cost (1 per cent of GDP in Brazil and 1.4 percent in South Africa). The programmes are financially sustainable and attract alarge measure of political support. They are perceived by policy-makers,experts, and the public as effective because they link redistribution to the poorwith intergenerational redistribution, are reasonably well administered,facilitate social and economic change, and are politically sustainable.