Understanding the frictions in job training for women in Brazil

The goal of this project is to understand frictions affecting the effectiveness of job training programs for low-income women in Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city in Brazil. We are particularly interested in promoting solutions at low cost that can mitigate these frictions and lead to more efficient programs in terms of targeting and largest impacts before scaling them up. Our working hypothesis is that small and low-cost interventions can increase the effectiveness of these programs, having the potential to generate sizable and positive impacts on women’s participation in labor markets and reduce their economic disadvantage. We are assessing the possibility of designing a multifaceted policy intervention targeting low-income and unemployed women with the possibility of accumulating human capital through participation in training programs. We are evaluating whether we can randomize different strategies to reduce attrition, such as cash transfers, lower distances to training centers, and information and communication campaigns about the returns to these programs to help women to make informed choices.